Jules & Sharpie

Hot pepper jelly is a classic product from the Caribbean, made from red peppers (capsicums) and indigenous chillies - a sweet, fiery variety called scotch bonnets.

Having been given the old family recipe by a Jamaican friend, we started making jules & sharpie's Hot Pepper Jelly commercially in 2002, largely in response to endless nagging from friends and family. Starting with a small order from a respected local butcher we gradually increased our number of stockists and today we supply outlets from the Orkneys to the Channel Islands.

We started in a very small way, using three jam pans on the kitchen cooker, doing everything ourselves and learning as we went along. As we increased production and developed new varieties we outgrew the kitchen - much to our husbands' relief - although we still cook everything locally. The range of 'preservaments' now comprises eight jellies, hot pear chutney, very hot mango chutney and our fabulous hot mmmarmalade. Four years on, all eleven products are still hand made in small batches in open pans.

Read more about our philosophy.

We've won rather a lot of Great Taste Awards (one more gold, two silver and two bronze in the latest listing) and have accumulated a number of celebrity fans, among them Tom Conran, Rick Stein, Tom Parker Bowles (food writer for the Mail on Sunday), Leslie Geddes Brown and Jamie Oliver.

Just call us to find out where you can buy our jars of deliciousness - the exclusive Cook chain of delicatessens has a selection as do Fortnum and Mason in London. We’re at lots of shows and there’s mail order too, so you don't have to go without.

In our spare time we're working on a collection of recipes, more new flavours and collaborating with local producers to make j&s chilli sausages and j&s mmmarmalade ice cream.