What made you try making jam?
Lloyd: I was at a show and I saw a judge explaining what a competitor should have done, and I thought, I can do this! I've always enjoyed cooking so I made my first batch and took it to a show in Carmarthen where no-one would know me, and I did well so it was all go from there.
I've been to shows all over Wales. I've won at the Three Counties Show and the Royal Welsh as well as more locally. Its a hobby though, I don't mind if I lose I just enjoy the process
What preserves do you make? Do you have any favourites?
Lloyd: Well, I usually enter something into the stone fruit jam, fruit like plum, apricot and greengages. I also enter the marmalade category, and an apple chutney. I create something interesting for the Special Preserve category too, sometimes plum and orange, or rhubarb and orange, cooking the orange on its own and putting it at the back of the jar opposite the label for effect.
I also try more unusual chutneys like one with green tomatoes, one with runner bean, and one with mango and cumin, and even one with cauliflower and pumpkin left over from Haloween! One of my favourites is blackberry jelly though, good judges lift up the jar and shine a torch through the dark jelly to see how cloudy it is, its quite a long process to get it as clear as possible.
Where do you get your recipes and ingredients from?
Lloyd: At first I used recipe books but I found that they often wouldn't work as each batch depends on the fruit ripeness and so on. But its not hard to make jam so I now have a notebook where I keep my own recipes.
I try to use local fruit, from people I know from shows for example. And if I can't get ingredients like this I will use local fruit and veg shops where the fruit is better quality than that in the supermarkets.
What do you do with all your products?
Lloyd: We have a lot of full cupboards! Its a hobby so I'm not interested in selling the preserves but when people come by they usually leave with some jam...even the Doctor has taken some jars with him! Not many people make their own jams but it is quite easy, I've been asked to give talks for local groups now and find there is a gap in the food media for preservatives, so watch out!
Q&A with Lloyd Edwards
your comments
Kiran from Acton
Please please may /i have your recipe for Lemon Curd. Thanks!
Thu Oct 8 10:06:46 2009
jasper arnold from henham
Whats the best way for making blackberry jam, and do u have any recipes
Sun Sep 20 19:23:52 2009
Roy Cooper, Ireland
Would love to have your recipie for victoria plum jam, should be picking them this am. weather permitting. Many Thanks.
Mon Sep 7 14:00:06 2009
Garry Hudson from St Helens
Nice to see a fellow cook that likes to cook preserves, I love to cook jams, chutneys, but my childrens favourite to cook ( yes get the children or grandchildren to help) is Lemon Curd. They love to grate and squeeze the lemons plus it's fantastic on toast. Well it's a BIG up for the men, keep up the good work Lloyd.
Thu Aug 13 14:58:45 2009
Joan, Sunderland
Has Lloyd got some recipes what i can try,i am going to try and make my own jam and chutneys for the grace house childrens hospice appeal who i fundraise for.
Mon Jul 27 10:34:15 2009
Jan from Ipswich
Can you please tell me what went wrong with my marmalade? It tastes lovely but is very thick and sticky and difficult to spoon out of the jar. Is there any way to thin it down or how can i use it in other recipes. ( as a last resort I suppose I could always use it to stick up tiles! )
Sun Jul 19 19:00:28 2009
Pam from oswestry
After reading about you and your talents in jam making, it inspired me perhaps I could try to make some jam too.May I have some Jam recipies from you please (strawberry, plum, cherry, apricot)?
Thu Jul 2 10:23:31 2009
Mair of Anglesey
I would like a 'mango chutney' recipe please
Sun Jan 11 16:55:04 2009
Jamie from Dorchester
Do you know where you can get a good recipe for a lovely plum jam? Thanks.
Thu Dec 18 11:08:56 2008
Pam Murray South Africa
Is it possible to have a fruit chutney recipe, made from dried fruit ?Or, may I please have the recipe of your most famous chutney?Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you
Tue Dec 2 11:05:39 2008
Pam Murray South Africa
Do you possibly have a recipe for onion chutney, or onion preserve ?
Tue Dec 2 11:05:32 2008
ben from singapore
May I have the Jam recipies from you please
Tue Dec 2 09:48:36 2008
Dee Gregory, Sale, Cheshire
Wanted! Green tomato chutney recipe please.
Sun Nov 30 19:44:21 2008
carol street from Devon
This is my frist year for trying making green tomato chutney would it be possible for you to email me a recipe for this chutney?Many ThanksCarol
Fri Nov 14 09:12:33 2008
pamela harris
please could you give me a SIMPLE recipe to use up my gree tomatoes please - many thanks!
Fri Oct 31 17:34:34 2008
Gavin Coles
absouloutly superb jams Lloyd keep up the good work and hurry up and get them in the shops.
Wed Oct 8 20:11:28 2008
Mauricio Contreras, Knaresborough
I can not find a good Plum Jam recipe using Victoria plums. Can you help?
Mon Sep 8 09:36:12 2008
E. J. Sewell, Stevenage, Herts
recipe for making cherry jam would be most helpful
Wed Jul 9 15:14:21 2008
Andy Davies, Goginan
I have had some of lloyds jam and chutneyand think they are outstanding keep up the good work. Hope to see them in morrisons soon.
Tue May 20 09:18:40 2008
Elizabeth from Llandaff
Most interesting, uplifting article. I hadn't heard of Lloyd before. Maybe he could have some labels for his products made up with the Welsh dragon or flag on them and some Welsh words.
Thu Jan 31 13:02:24 2008
sue gibbons
very good jm lovely mmmmmmm
Wed Jan 23 14:34:16 2008
Richard Hankey, Aberystwyth
Come on Lloyd, get these jams into the market place, people need to taste them not just read about them! And as for the chutneys......wow!
Sat Jan 19 13:37:45 2008
Nancy, Bristol
I come from Uganda and I am trying out different fruits to make jam. I am planning to return to Uganda with the hope of helping children on the street by involving them in jam making. Uganda has a lot of tropical fruits most of which go to rot, Is there a way I can visit your products to learn more about jam making.
Tue Dec 25 19:48:56 2007
Janice Wilson,Borth
I have been lucky enough to sample Lloyds jams & chutneys. The quality is outstanding...
Thu Dec 6 10:12:30 2007
Nigel , Borth
Very interesting article we need more like this and maybe a few recipes and tips...
Wed Dec 5 09:59:00 2007
Graham and Betty Broxton from Newquay
Lloyds jams and chutneys are the best we have ever tasted being new to his produce this year we are both amazed at the quality and taste, excellent well done. He should take it up professionally and make a mint.
Wed Nov 28 09:07:41 2007
Graeme Jones,Aberystwyth
I am one of many who have tasted Lloyd's jams and can honestly say they are delicious.A local celebrity, turned a hobby into an art. A worthy winner at so many competitions.
Mon Nov 26 07:43:26 2007
Sonia Ellis-Jones, Aberystwyth
We are very lucky to be blessed every now and again with a box full of jams and chutneys from Lloyd. It's like Christmas and we enjoy them all. Favourites include the rasberry jams and blackberry, and he does a wicked lemon curd. We love the green tomato chutney and curried fruit chutney, and recently a fantastic mango chutney, no curry should be without it. His produce is so much better than you can buy at the supermarket. Keep up the good work Lloyd.
Thu Nov 22 11:44:54 2007
Gwenllian
A great cook, that's my uncle and his chutney is so cool and he's a great man as well.
Thu Nov 22 08:29:33 2007
Donald Morgan, Llanrhystud
Have had the privilege to taste Lloyds Jams and Chutney on more than one occasion on the show benches throughout Ceredigion as a judge. The quality of each pot is full of fresh ingredients, well presented and jars correctly labelled, he also produces a gelightful Orange Cordial, and have given him Best exhibit many times out of good standard shows. Cookery and Preserve Judge
Tue Nov 20 11:23:11 2007
Jim Andrews, Aberaeron
A great hobby, and looks like a tasty one too. I think Lloyd would be great on telly talking about his stuff, looks like a jolly chap - how about a slot on a prog somewhere? It would be nice to see some 'proper' food for a change - not this so called fine dining stuff!!! Go on, don't forget as Wogan says "it's our BBC" Put Lloyd on it!!!!
Tue Nov 20 08:19:22 2007
Andy Vance, Aberaeron
I have been lucky enough to try some of Lloyd's products. They really are superb. Proper home cooking.Perhaps Lloyd could be persuaded to share some of his secrets with us? How about a little airtime for him? I for one would be most interested to hear what he has to say.Well done Lloyd!!
Mon Nov 19 08:44:28 2007
Colin Bassom, Bethania
Having eaten Lloyd's jams for a couple of year's now, I can say with all honesty that they are the best that me and my family have tasted.Keep up the good work Lloyd.
Mon Nov 19 08:43:57 2007
Ann Hughes, Comins Coch
Lloyd's Jam's & Chutney's are great. Never tasted any so Good! Keep it up Lloyd!
Tue Nov 13 16:58:24 2007
Carwyn and Gethin
Uncle Lloyd's jams are fantastic!We like the strawberry jam best. We love to see his picture in the Cambrian News every week. keep the jams coming Uncle Lloyd!
Tue Nov 13 09:10:59 2007
Alan Hughes from Machynlleth
Lloyd has indeed got a passion for his jam,chutney and preserves and I can say first hand that they are of very high quality indeed. His blackberry jelly is delicious and his plum and orange jam was unlike any jam I've ever tasted before!!He is also somewhat of a celebrity nowadays.
Sun Nov 11 18:34:44 2007
Nia Gore, Aberystwyth
I think it's great, that a man has this hobby, it's better than going and blowing the money in the pub!! Plus his produce tastes fantastic!!! No wonder he wins all the shows, no one else's products are as good!!
Sun Nov 11 18:24:27 2007
What do you think of Lloyd's story? Do you have any jam making tips, or questions? Send us your comments.
