you might cynically presume that it’s factory-made and promoted by a clever marketing team. But Maggie Sorensen, who supplies jam, chutney and marmalade to Ilmington Community Shop, is no marketing ploy: she makes her own wares in her own kitchen with her very own partner Harry Robertson. “We live in sin in Chipping Norton,” she laughs, “and we make the jams in our kitchen at home!” Today’s delivery of homemade preserves has turned into a day out on our café terrace. Harry has ordered a slice of Kat Pilkington’s homemade Chocolate Cake with Malteser Crumb. “Tell Kat it’s delicious,” says Harry. Maggie is enjoying her own chutney with a cheese scone. “We make Strawberry Jam, Chilli Jam, Onion and Apple Chutney and Whisky Marmalade,” says Harry. “We’ve been doing it for nearly 10 years now. We supply farm shops, delis and village shops. The untypical thing about Ilmington Shop is that you use our products in your café, which is great.” (We serve their strawberry jam with our scones and tea cakes, too.) Maggie and Harry are their own delivery service and they pop in every month or so. “Harry likes coming out,” says Maggie. “He enjoys a chat with Michele [our friendly manager.] We are both meant to be retired!” We love Maggie’s jams, and we hope this two-person industry won’t be retiring any time soon.
