Jenny Jefferies
jenniferlouisejefferies@yahoo.com
A glorious mix of ‘food, love and laughter’ characterised Jenny Jefferies’ childhood, with family regularly gathering for hearty meals cooked by her father. That love of fine fare continued into adulthood, although it wasn’t until Jenny married husband John, an arable farmer, that she truly understood the importance of food provenance. Witnessing her first harvest on the family farm in Little Gransden in 2013, then weaning her firstborn daughter in 2016, Jenny felt amazed at the hard graft involved in producing a simple bowl of cereal.
Reaching out to other farmers, Jenny – a former picture editor for Sky News – decided to champion her husband’s story and produce, along with that of other hard-working farmers across the UK. The result is stunning cookbook, For The Love Of The Land, published July 2020, featuring recipes from 40 British farmers, including Blackbrook Beef Bolognese from a traditional lowland Leicestershire farm; Kentish Lavender Shortbread; and a Devonshire cocktail with a flourish of edible flowers.
Jenny was inspired to add to her publishing portfolio whilst tucking into a delicious fish and chip supper on Southwold seafront (from The Sole Bay Fish Company). For The Love Of The Sea emerged from the printing press April 2021. Taking the reader on a tantalising journey up and down the British Isles to regions where fishing is the lifeblood, it celebrates our magnificent seafood community, shining a light on prominent women in the industry. Standout recipes include Roast Turbot, Samphire and Clam from Looe; Moroccan Spiced Langoustines; and Red Snapper Oysters from Mersea Island.
Jenny, who has two little girls and runs the family’s self-catering business, Fullers Hill Cottages, has published further books in the series – For The Love of the Land II, and For The Love Of The Sea II, along with Islands In A Common Sea: Stories of Farming, Fishing and Food Around the World published globally in July 2024 with £2 from every copy sold being donated to the United Nations, World Food Programme, ShareTheMeal Campaign.