Biltong, cupcakes, hand-thrown pottery and a paper artist - all Genuine Jersey

Thursday 22 September 2016

Four more local businesses have now joined the producers' association, Genuine Jersey.

They are David Brown Pottery, The Little Jersey Biltong Company, FLOUR and Crafty Makery.

David Brown Pottery

Arriving in Jersey in 1987 to work at Jersey Pottery, Dave planned only to stay for a couple of years while he honed his understanding and control of glazing and firing. But two years became 25, including 18 as the business’s head potter.

When Jersey Pottery stopped making pottery in the Island, Dave set up a small studio at Holme Grown and a teaching studio at the Philip Mourant Centre in Trinity. 

As from this month, Dave will be based at the centre full time as ‘Potter in Residence’, with 70 students across seven evening and day classes.

The Little Jersey Biltong Company – Mark Pinnick

A South African who has lived in Jersey since 1997, Mark makes biltong and dry wors (cured beef and cured beef sausage). “The process starts with the meat delivery followed by a few hours - depending on the quantity of meat - stripping the fat and cutting the meat into strips of varying sizes. Everyone has their own preference as they do with a steak: some rare, some medium and some well done. With Biltong the concept is not too different except that you don’t cook the meat, you air dry it. The meat is spiced in layers and left to marinate for a period of time before it is hung in the temperature controlled drying cabinet applying heat initially followed by fan assisted drying without the heat. If I start the process in the morning, it will all be done and the meat hanging that night. The drying process takes between four days and a week. Once dry, the sticks can be sold whole or sliced and bagged.”

FLOUR – Kirstie Taylor

24-year-old Kirstie moved to London when she was 18 to study fashion photography at London College of Fashion but two-and-a-half years into her degree, she decided that she wanted to be a chef. After graduating, she began another degree studying French patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu London and completed her studies in 2015.

While studying, Kirstie worked in a bakery in north London as a cake decorator and opened her own business selling cakes and cupcakes that she ran from her London based home. Shortly after graduating, Kirstie decided to move back to Jersey after living in London for six years. She closed her London business and opened the same company in Jersey earlier this year. 

Crafty Makery (Lorraine Fiander)

Lorraine is a self-taught paper cutter and papercut designer. She produces a range of products including personalised wedding and christening papercuts.

“I've lived with depression since I was 14 and also have Systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as lupus, which can be really debilitating during a flare. I have always been a keen crafty person, but have flitted from craft to craft … my family know me as the world's slowest knitter: ten years for a pair of gloves! I found papercutting online through the amazingly talented Louise Firchau, aka Paper Panda, and had a go at one of her templates. That was it! 

“I find that the concentration that goes into the creation of a papercut allows my mind to freewheel away from negative, depressive thoughts and anxiety. Even when I'm not actually working on a design, or not able to, my brain is continuously working out bits for the next one.

"Papercutting is a good therapy for me and the lovely feeling when you've worked for a week on a commission and the recipient is really happy with it is great, too! I also belong to two online papercutting communities, which are incredibly supportive and helpful - it's good to have friends who are working in the same field as you, when there aren't many locally.”