Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Marmalade - part 2

I shouldn't complain but there's an awful lot of it; 26 jars.

Making marmalade must be a bit like giving birth - an absolute pain of a process - after which one promises oneself Never, ever again. Then 12 months on, tempted by the bright fruits I forget what a bother it is too make and another day of my life is gone - what with all that squeezing, paring and slicing; the simmering for hours and then the nerve-wracking rolling boil and those 'will it/won't it' set moments - all those sticky spoonfuls cooling in saucers until at last the surface wrinkles and we can be sure of that elusive set. Phew. And then there is the washing up......industrial quantities of it.

Here are my 26 jars - I've been hyper efficient this year and labeled them up straight away. Usually my jams and jellies sit around for days, sometimes weeks, until I can summon up the enthusiasm to amend and print off some labels. New Year - new efficient me? I doubt it. More a case of them taking up a lot of space.
Guess what we'll be having for breakfast for the next 12 months?

13 comments:

Kirsty.A said...

But they do look lovely

Mrs Jones said...

(Nice new website design, BTW)

26 jars? Dear God! The most I've ever managed is 2 batches of 6 jars each time. And we're still eating that from last year, despite me giving away jar after jar. I like your labels very much - are they sticky or do you have to glue them?

Shirley said...

How wonderful! The most painstaking of tasks often yields the greatest rewards! Don't you just love marmalade?

Annie said...

They certainly look gorgeous....and I'm sure they will taste every bit as good. :-)
A x

Pondside said...

Mmm - I'll be over with some flaky croissants.......

Frances said...

Bravo, take a bow, along with those glowing 26 jars of marmalade. What a treat awaits toast and those folks lucky enough to be around your place a breakfastime.

xo

Jayne said...

Love Marmalade, bottled sunshine. your labels are very impressive.

Jodie Robson said...

Looks lovely, and very elegantly packaged! I long to be so industrious, but have neither time nor space...sigh.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Very , very beautiful marmalade !
And you don't have to do it again for a whole year , after all .

MBNAD woman said...

Yum. Can I come to breakfast?

I have all the jars stacked and ready to go. There is just one pot of last year's Dundee left but all the Three Fruit was devoured months back. Madette likes it in porridge!

I tend to give away jams etc on a swaps basis so end up with a nice selection back and we don't get too bored. People who give me nice jars get nice ones back as well ;-)

btw: the word verification is "manglu" and I may well have made some preserves that come in that category ...

Mad x

Nan said...

They sure are beautiful!

hand-knitted muesli said...

How I envy you, seville oranges are as rare as hens teeth here in Qld :( I have planted a seville orange tree but don't think there will be fruit for a couple more years. So will have to keep buying online for the time being.

Elizabethd said...

You too! 26 jars would last us rather a long time, being only two now.
How professional they look with the printed labels.