I was having lunch last week at The Garrison in Bermondsey Street with a friend. The Garrison is a pub that has turned into a restaurant. Exudes a feeling of really caring about good fresh food without falling into snail porridge, and is hip enough without actually being hipster.  Mostly for eating, but with a small bar area at one end for evening refreshment. 

At the end of the meal, after we had settled up, they brought me my copy of the receipt on saucer, with a bookmark on top. The bookmark was a recipe for making 3 jars of Blackberry Jam.

I thought it was an idle bit of fun, and picked it up and took it back to the office. Look, I said, slightly bemused, The Garrison have given me a Jam recipe. I have no idea why.

Barbara gave me a bit of a look. One of those ‘You don’t get out much, do you?’ kind of looks. Because it’s jam making time, she said. It’s the season. What a brilliant idea. I’m making some tomorrow  – can I have a look?

And she took it, and made jam with it.

One person’s mystery bookmark is another’s startlingly useful.  And underlining at the same time that they did, yes, really care about good simple food.

And I rather liked that they didn’t explain it. You either get it, or you don’t. You are either in the know about the jam making season, or you aren’t.

And now I am.