About Us

HOW IT ALL STARTED

Veronica was born and raised in Kenya before training as a nurse in England.  After Veronica's marriage to Tony in 1967 she relocated to Ireland and set-up home at Crossogue House, a mixed farm where all the fruit and vegetables used in the preserves were grown.  Veronica was taught how to make preserves by her mother-in-law Nancy Molloy and many of the recipes used today are family recipes passed down through the generations. Busy raising six children, initially jam making was little more than a hobby producing preserves for local stores and country markets but as new recipes evolved and demand grew, larger commercial stores started to take an interest. 

Simplicity combined with superiority is the key. All preserves are made using traditional cooking methods using the highest quality ingredients and produced in small batches by hand to maximise control procedures and taste; no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives are used. Although this means that production is labour intensive it results in a unique and distinctive flavour. This continuing dedication aimed at producing a superior product has brought success in the shape of Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards for the past ten years at the prestigious Guild of Fine Food Fair held in London. In July 2007 Crossogue Preserves won 5 Gold medals in London and a fêted Bridgestone Award and was also appointed as supplier of preserves to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Powerscourt.

Crossogue Preserves is a family owned operation with an experienced and dedicated team whose aim is to produce quality products with efficiency and offers excellent customer service.

PLAYING FOR LIFE, ARUSHA, TANZANIA

At the end of September 2007, Veronica set-out in a party of forty to Arusha, Tanzania to work for two weeks with the charity Playing for Life (www.playingforlife.ie) founded by Tracey Piggott.  The team worked in a palatine mission of three thousand Tanzanians.  The skills taught ranged from computer technology, drama, music, sports and preserving.  The aim was to help the fourteen women in the class to preserve the exotic fruits and vegetables that were in season at the time.  Marmalade was made using oranges, lemons and limes.  Jams were made using mangoes, passion fruit, pineapple and bananas.  Chutneys were made with tomatoes, bananas and melons and Jellies with chillies and other fruits.

Amazing progress was made and the preserves produced were given the brand name Pallotti Preserves and their own label was designed by one of the art designers on the trip.  This year a new three-storey building is being constructed in the parish for the computer, sewing and preserves sector and it is hoped that a co-operative will be started to enable the parish to earn a living, practically non-existent at the moment.  Veronica is planning to return to Arusha this year to complete the work.