Marmalade: oranges are not the only fruit
Post categories: marmalade
| 11:30 UK time, Friday, 13 January 2012
It's that time of year when the world falls in love with marmalade. Pupils dilate with excitement when the word goes round that the Seville oranges are in the shops.Ìý Jars are scavenged from the back of the fridge, washed free of mouldy pesto and soaked to remove the labels. The largest pot is hauled from the back of the cupboard and the house is filled with the citrus smell that I equate with perfect happiness.
Taking the pith: Are Seville oranges necessary for marmalade?Ìý
Or not. There has always been an underground scene of alternative marmalade: partly for novelty, partly because of the limited availability of Sevilles.Ìý Quite often because the tongue-numbing tang of bitter orange marmalade is just too strong.
Of course, bitter orange was itself once an alternative marmalade – the spread was originally made in Portugal with quinces. The story is that a merchant’s wife, faced with a shipment of inedible bitter oranges, tried to make the best of things by dousing them in sugar and a long slow cooking. (What was that first breakfast like? Did they make endless rounds of toast, deliriously excited?)
So now you’ve got no excuse to avoid getting in the kitchen this weekend with your big spoon and your jam funnel. Here’s a round-up of the internet’s finest alt.marmalades.
Disclaimer – quite a few of these recipes are in US cups. A rough guideline – 250g sugar = 1 cup.
- Ìý
- Ìý
- (WARNING: Contains Sevilles)
- And if you haven’t heard (and haven’t seen)
Do you make alternative marmalade? What flavours would you like to try?
Comment number 1.
At 14th Jan 2012, DanUK wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 2.
At 15th Jan 2012, CazziH wrote:Red grapefruit and ginger - traditional marmalade with the warming taste and aroma of ginger. A touch of booze always adds something extra to marmalade - whisky and orange good.
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Comment number 3.
At 16th Jan 2012, Master Label wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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