MELISSA Graeme is preserving a tradition while preserving fruit in jams and marmalades and vegetables in chutneys.

The Taunton housewife started making her gallery of delights 10 years ago but only entered into her fully blossoming business about five years ago.

The magic happens on what you can say is an unassuming estate in Taunton, at a house which blends in with all the others, but this one house is where all the preserves are created.

This creation not only includes the making of jam but includes the fruit, which has been grown on an allotment not very far from her house.

If today is all about carbon footprints and the miles food has travelled, then Melissa would have to be given a green award for her efforts.

While not the recipient of any green award, she has won awards from the Taste of the West.

She achieved a Gold Award for he Seville Orange Marmalade in 2018, a Gold award in 2017 for her Seville Orange and Stem Ginger marmalade and in 2018 achieved a Silver Award for her Blackcurrant and Creme de Cassis Jam.

And the latest award for Melissa came when she scooped Gold at The World’s Marmalade Awards in Cumbria for her Seville Orange Marmalade.

What is important for Melissa is she uses the best ingredients she can for the jams, marmalades and chutney’s.

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Even the oranges which come from Spain are organic and the fruit and vegetables are grown by her of her allotment.

Melissa who is a Cordon Bleu trained chef, really bought into making preserves.

Explaining she said: “I like the seasonal variety of availability, of using local ingredients and doing it on my own which means I am my own boss.

“I find making the jams etc really satisfying.

“I enjoy taking the raw ingredients and transforming it into something which you can eat.

“Not only can you eat it but you can store it and say eat some jam in December and it will remind you of strawberries in the summer.

“I enjoy the variety and flexibility of making the products which makes me happy. I am my own boss and I do not have to make things every day.

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“I have learnt from my customers and enjoy the interaction with them when I attend the different markets (Minehead, Wellington, Taunton and Glastonbury) and I like the fact I am keeping everything local and the get as much as I can from Somerset.

“What is also important for me is there is a real seasonal flow to what I make and I think that is part of the passion.

“On minute I am making jams and then it is chutney’s. When January arrives I am getting excited as it is time to make marmalade and then I am back to jams.

“For me everything has a season.

“Making the preserves does make me happy

“Making a jam, marmalade or chutney means I try at least four or five recipes so I get the balance just right.

“What I want to achieve is harmony so you get a little taste of everything which each mouthful.

“With say a marmalade you need some sharpness and zing.

“This is something which I get from my Cordon Bleu training.”

The other treats Melissa makes are:

- Apple and mint jelly

- Bergamot and Saville marmalade

- Grapefruit and lemon marmalade

- Raspberry vinegar

- Quince

- Courgette Pickle

- Runner bean chutney

- Balsamic Red Onion Chutney

- Somerset Cider and apple chutney

- Piccalilli

- Seville Orange and whisky marmalade

- Mixed Berry Jam

On Melissa’s Preserves Facebook page her star rating review is Five out of Five stars.

How does she maintain his high standard?

Melissa said: “Winning the awards in the Taste of the West gives me a feeling I am on the right track.

“It shows me a panel of experts agree with what I have produced and hits the right note.

“It is very satisfying winning the awards and it does help in promoting the product.

“When I make say a marmalade I want to do the same thing over and over to make sure the method is the same and the taste is good.”

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Melissa explained winning the award while good did bring with it the pressure of having to live up to the title and making sure the product was the best it could be.

“I think that is why I do not make too many lines.

“I try and insure what I make is good quality.

“So I make five/six chutneys, three marmalades or four/five jams.”

One of the nice touches on the labels are the words ‘Homemade in Somerset’ which it is in Taunton.

Looking ahead to what she would like to achieve in the next five years, Melissa said she would like to expand the range she makes and increase what she pickles.

She said: “I want to increase my customer base and maybe do other marmalades and different citrus fruits.”

And there you have it, a one woman business which to use some of the lyrics from a Bob Marley song is: Jammin’, jammin’ I hope you like jammin’ too

Well, I hope you like jammin’, I hope you like jammin’.”