Preserved By Jay

Jay Kendal of Preserved by Jay

Jay is a long standing stallholder at Lewes Farmers Market making vegan and preservative-free preserves using local and organic ingredients.

 I met Jay at the Riverside Café to ask about her journey to becoming one of the markets popular producers and to get her top tips for making successful fruit preserves.

“I’ve always been a bit of an entrepreneur, knitting and making things to sell.” Jay explained, “In 2011, after my parents died, I wanted to try something different and went along to the Tuesday Country Market in Ringmer Village Hall to sell my crafts; however, I was asked, if I could bring baked goods”  After a short while of making and selling cakes, Jay won a bursary for a 3-day preserving course at Denman College Oxfordshire, the Women’s Institute College. Jay came home at the end of the course with a suitcase full of preserves which she then sold.

The preserve making blossomed from there with customers asking for more and Jay tried making different marmalades. At one time she was making over thirty different marmalades.

 “I practised lots, bought more books and followed other preserve makers on Instagram, learning from them and exchanging ideas.”  By this time Jay had become the rep for the Ringmer Country Markets and heard of an opportunity to sell at the Lewes Farmers Market.  With lots of enthusiasm, no car and some help, for 5 years Jay has brought her wide range of preserves to sell at Lewes on the first and third Saturdays of the month.

I asked Jay where she sourced her ingredients and was surprised at how much is very local, “I walk along local country lanes and fields to forage sloes, brambles, rosehips, haws, crab apples, damsons and quinces and get some from allotment holders who leave out seasonal gluts.” On market days Jay sources seasonal local organic vegetables from Ashurst Organics, based in Plumpton and uses their wonky veg for chutneys. The rich tasting heritage apples from Ringmer Community Orchard can also be found in her chutneys, mincemeat and Christmas cakes.

It was clear that Jay does not take the easy route and sources carefully, following organic farms in Spain to source high quality Seville Oranges for her marmalade.  With all the foraging, preserve making time, social media promotion work and delivering by bus, I wondered what the work load was, “I work 6 or 7 days a week” Jay said, “the only time off is when I am at the market or delivering.” That didn’t sound like time off to me.

Jay’s reputation is growing, she explained how she networks with a small farm training group and through them has shared her knowledge of preserve making with Marcus Wareing, the Michelin Starred Chef of  BBC One’s Master Chef, the Professionals. Jay also supplies hamper companies and makes preserves for other businesses, who sell under their own name.

Jay’s top tips: sterilise your jars immediately before you need them, as the jam is boiling, and fill the jar to the very top, so there is no gap for air and possible germs that could ruin the preserve.

Jay’s top tip

Fill the jar to the very top, so there is no gap for air and possible germs

Jay’s recommended book: ‘Lets Preserve it’ by Beryl Wood, now available on line.

Jay’s favourite marmalade: lemon, ginger and gin marmalade, perfect with toasted sourdough bread.

 Katharine Finnigan, Common Cause Director and one of the founders of Lewes Farmers Market, 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, Friars Walk Car Park.

Alex from Kabak Tells us why he loves Middle Eastern Cookery

My name is Annabel Frost, I work for Common Cause Co-operative as manager of the Lewes Farmers Market.

All our producers are local, no further than 30 miles from Lewes and we visit them regularly to catch up on their latest news.

Recently I visited Alex Marcovitch who runs a catering company called Kabak, he has a regular pitch at the farmers market.

Kabak is a relatively recent addition to the market but the delicious and unusual Middle Eastern & Turkish salads, dips & pies have become instantly popular with many customers, especially those looking for a quick, healthy option.

Can you tell me a bit about what brought you to Lewes?

We moved down from London when wife got a job in Worthing. Lewes was a place we knew well, lovely, quiet and away from London an ideal place to bring up kids & start a new business.

What is your background, what made you decide to have a
market stall? 

I have always loved cooking particularly Middle Eastern food so I decided to make my new focus something I loved doing. A market stall is a good way to start as the overheads are low and I get immediate feedback from my customers and the community I live in.

If someone asked you what Kabak is about, what would you say?

It’s a stall selling fresh, delicious, and unusual Middle Eastern & Turkish salads, dips & pies

Where do you get your local produce from?

I get all my meat from Mays Farm Cart in Lewes, flour from Infinity Foods, pitta breads from Mamoosh. When I can I buy my vegetables from Laines organic at the Friday Food Market.

Do you have any favourite local producers ?  

I always buy my pitta breads from Mamoosh Deli, they are absolutely delicious, I serve them with my Soup of the day. This weeks is Spicy Three Bean Harrira.

And Mays Farm Cart, excellent service & prices. Can’t fault them, it’s great to work with local people.

 Where do you make the food?

All at home in my kitchen, I am fortunate enough to work from home, where I can arrange my catering around my family responsibilities

At Lewes Farmers Market we have strict criteria to make sure your product is local, sustainable & ethically sourced. How different is this to other places you have made food for?

I guess it is stricter than the Food Rocks events in Lewes, but it works for me.

For me, ethically sourced is the most important, I buy locally produced as its good for the local economy but I feel that the quality & ethical production is the most important factor.

What is your most recent recipe experiment and why?

My latest salad is roasted courgettes, Turkish peppers with a lemon tahini sauce which I am personally very happy with. I try to bring a new salad every 3-4 weeks to keep the interest going

 Are there any particular trends that you are inspired by?

I think that street food is massive in London & is going to stay. It is becoming more popular all over the UK & I think the farmers market could benefit from more Street Food stalls, especially come the summer.

Where would you like your business to be in 3 years?

I would like to be still doing markets but I am doing more catering and my business needs to be moving more that way, markets are good but don’t make enough in the longer term.

And in the real long term maybe in ten years time I would like to be opening my own café/restaurant.

Do you have any suggestions for your customers to eat at this time of year?

I would advise trying to have a mainly vegetarian diet, even if you're a meat-eater. I'd particularly try and cook lots of meals involving pulses...they're protein-rich, cheap (especially if bought dry) and delicious. I make lots of things like falafels, beans stews, lentil soups for my family.

What would be your ideal meal, what would you cook, what occasion & who would you invite?

I would give myself a break from cooking Middle Eastern food, and instead go Indian....I can make pretty good curries, so I'd cook a range of these and invite one of my favourite authors, Robert MacFarlane, my favourite radio DJs, Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie and the comedian Mark Thomas. I reckon they'd all get along famously and appreciate my cooking.

When you think about the Farmers market, what is it that makes you motivated to be here?

I love selling food that I've produced and I'm passionate about. I love seeing happy customers, many of whom return time and time again. I like the atmosphere of the market, being amongst friendly fellow-stall holders, and I love being part of something that is the antithesis to high street shopping, with dedicated producers selling their own high quality food.

Are you involved with any other of the Producers, have you done anything in partnership with others?

I'm a regular buyer of Einat's (Mamoosh) superb pitas, which I include with my salads when I'm doing street food events.