When Gerald Strickland makes his way to the Pitkali fruit and vegetable market – to source natural, local ingredients for his artisan jams and marmalades – he is often greeted by farmers who announce: “
Ġie tal-ġamm” (the jam man has arrived).
“I’ve become known as
tal-ġamm amongst farmers. Who would have ever thought? This has been a wonderful thing. I’ve engaged backwards into the food chain with the people who grow our food. I ended up with fantastic experiences with farmers,” says Gerald.
This passion has its roots way back. “I was always interested in food preservation. Having spent five years in the British Army – between the ages of 18 and 23 – I was often out in the open air for days on end and was interested in how food could be preserved over time,” recalls Gerald.