Scanlan15 Meg queen of own Bucking-jam palace
BRAND KNOWN JAR AND WIDE
RECOLLECTIONS may vary. But it has been reported that Meghan Markle is making jam. Maybe the working royals are very much not a jam family.
Someone might need to clarify that with Prince William. But anyway, Meghan left the UK for privacy and jam, which is her right. Well done Meghan.
I hope the privacy thing is going OK for her. I’m not sure that it is, though, because I’m finding it difficult to avoid her.
Even I – and I’m not really the type Meghan would be trying to jump in front of and wave – know Meghan’s making jam. Maybe that’s because of multiple failed privacy attempts.
I don’t even just know that she’s making jam. I know that she’s making strawberry jam. I never asked, but I also know she calls it ‘American Riviera Orchard’ jam. Fancy.
And I know she has sent some to friends.
I haven’t received any – not at my ‘Clarinbridge Tidal Garden’ address anyway, which is where it could possibly be sent.
Tradition
So yeah, she’s making jam un-privately. And, perhaps, there’s well established jam makers, jam makers going back generations, jam makers who are part of our history and tradition, who are paying close attention.
It would be fair enough for you to think:
“FFS. We’ve been making jam for a long time and here she comes, with her jam... all American, and rivery and orchardy.”
The thing about jam, up to now at least, is it has always been pretty reliable – in that with jam you generally know what you’re going to get.
You’re going to get jam.
Feelings
Some people like jam. Others love it. Some have no strong feelings for jam either way, which is probably the position I take on the matter.
But jam has been a constant presence in the background. I can imagine the jam making business, like most other things, has been under a bit of pressure in recently. Jam makers may have felt pressure to slim down their business – reduce the number of working jam makers. Not easy.
But then Meghan steps in. Meghan the Jam Maker of the Sussex Rivera or whatever. Overnight, the grand old business of jam making has become a ‘lifestyle brand’. That means it’s entirely probable that, sooner rather than later, people will be willing to spend a fortune on one jar of jam – while snubbing others.
To put it bluntly, just think back on what Gwyneth Paltrow did to candles.
My thoughts are with jam makers during these difficult times.