Pantry Hill About — PANTRY HILL

“Pantry Hill began as a home. A solid foundation built on the dream of returning to our roots. A place where legacy runs deep and love runs strong. A place where our children can play, learn and grow close to their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, in the familiar town where generations have been raised.”

In 2016, seeking to build a life closer to family and nature after a handful of years in both Seattle and Boston, we purchased a country house a few miles outside downtown Saratoga Springs, NY. Our roots here run deep - with both of our families having called this area home for more than 250 years.

The house sits atop a small hill on six acres of mostly woodland, with a large pond in the very back and old stone walls running throughout what was once farmland. After our first year listening to and learning from the land, we decided to name it Pantry Hill.

High school sweethearts, we’ve connected and grown, gained understanding of ourselves and others through our love of food - cooking it, eating it, cultivating it, sharing it - hence our home’s namesake. These are the lessons we’re instilling in our three little boys, simply by inviting them into the kitchen and garden. Because ultimately food brings people together.

Much of our family history has been preserved by way of recipes, methods and traditions surrounding food, gardening and entertaining, and we’re honored to be entrusted with the keeping of it.

By sharing our journey, we’re hoping to give others a chance to learn from and experience all that makes Pantry Hill so special. For now, that means virtually, both here, via our e-newsletter and through our social media accounts, as well as face-to-face with our private seasonal workshops.

Meet Darien

After seven years in the magazine industry, serving as both managing digital editor and branded content manager for a group of bridal, lifestyle and business magazines, Darien stepped back to focus on building a life at Pantry Hill. With young children, a plot of land, and her own kitchen, Darien found herself tapping into the knowledge of her ancestors as she began creating and carrying tradition.
Hailing from a long line of celebrated home cooks, gardeners and entertaining enthusiasts, whose recipes and methods have been preserved for more than a century, Darien recognized the importance of maintaining this family history for future generations. By combining her publishing experience, her advanced degrees in education, and her love of cooking, gardening and home, Darien invites others to learn, share and grow in these spaces alongside her, beginning with the simple tried-and-true methods of the past.
Meet Eric

Eric is a software engineer whose love for good food was a driving force in finding a way to balance a technical career with a slower pace of life. A self-proclaimed picky eater as a child, Eric credits community and a strong understanding of where our food comes from, plus a respect for how it’s processed, for expanding his palate.
Some of Eric’s earliest and fondest food memories are of long walks with his grandfather, foraging in the woods just north of Pantry Hill. He recalls summers at his grandmother’s New England farmhouse - the way the kitchen smelled of fresh basil, the cool stream and the covered bridge. Special dishes took center stage at family gatherings on the country road where he grew up, across the street from his grandparents. He’s a passionate home cook who specifically enjoys experimenting with pickling. He’s also our resident beekeeper, and if we’re being honest, the better baker.