Five years ago, Catherine Bergen’s Tulocay’s Made in Napa Valley brand was a fledgling company offering high-quality sauces and condiments that Bergen had created in her facility on the Napa River.

Today, it’s a thriving business, offering more than 95 gourmet items, and Bergen has just marked the groundbreaking for a spectacular new facility she’s building near the Napa airport that will include tasting, reception and retail areas.

She modestly attributes her success to inspiration from her faithful business partner, Jane, a Jack Russell terrier who has been with her on the enterprise from the beginning, and whose small but mighty silhouette graces the label of many of her products.

Bergen, who is also celebrating the publication of her first cookbook, “Gourmet Every Day,” will be at Copia’s upcoming Community Day on Sunday to provide demonstrations — and samples —of her popular products. Bergen will also be signing copies of her book, which shares the recipes she has developed to use her products to transform an ordinary dish into something special.

The Tulocay’s Made in Napa Valley products include dessert and savory sauces, baking mixes, marinades, glazes, dipping and flavored oils, balsamic and Champagne vinegars, tapenades, mustards, herbal rubs and other condiments.

“We use the very best ingredients and manufacture our products in small batches, which enables us to create products that taste homemade and are rich flavor,” Bergen explains on her Web site, www.madeinnapavalley.com “When we make a batch of one of our savory sauces, we start just like you do at home. We sauté the onions and vegetables, add whole tomatoes and fresh herbs, stir slowly to keep the tomatoes chunky, add a touch of wine, simmer and then carefully pack each jar to ensure fabulous flavor and freshness.”

Bergen’s philosophy is that — with a little help — it’s possible to ramp up any dish and make every meal memorable. Her Web site offers recipes and menus for using her products. Now she’s brought them all together in a richly illustrated cook that includes, of course, ample photos of Jane.

An example she provided to the Register is Sesame Swordfish Skewers with Dipping Sauce, described as an appetizer that is “a conversation starter for sure and will probably be the talk of the party. You can use any firm fish and for fun, use both black and white sesame seeds.”

Sesame Swordfish Skewers

with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

3⁄4 cup Made In Napa Valley Shanghai Tangerine Sesame Marinade

1 pound swordfish steak, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 20 cubes)

20 snow peas

1⁄4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

20 cherry tomatoes

Toothpicks (look for interesting ones at Asian markets)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the swordfish cubes in a bowl with enough Shanghai Tangerine Sesame Marinade to lightly coat them when tossed. Transfer the swordfish cubes to the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until fish is lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Blanch the snow peas in boiling water for 1 minute, drain, and blot dry. Assemble skewers by first spearing a tomato, followed by a snow pea and then a cube of swordfish. Dip the bottom of the swordfish cube in the sesame seeds and place on a platter. Continue until all skewers are assembled. Serve with a bowl of the Marinade for dipping.

Makes 20 skewers for appetizers.