'I got sunshine on a cloudy dayMe? I got oranges. I got liquid gold. I making marmalade.
When it's cold outside, I got the month of May...'
There's not much new to say about this, my annual fruity task. Squeeze, pare, slice, bubble, boil and pot. The tedium of preparation...sigh...puts all but the most enthusiastic off. I put the cauldron on annually. It's not so much about a supply of marmalade that will last the year - for me it's about delighting the senses. This is a thing which has to be done.
A bag of oranges - such a vibrant cheering colour when all is grey outdoors.
Scent too; breathe in - the house (maybe even the whole of the small mountain kingdom) is redolent of bitter orange. Reach out, touch something. Sticky. Everything. Just why is there marmalade on my ear lobe?
So, we now have enough jars on at the shelf and a few to spare. A good feeling.
*Promise me you'll click the link - it's as feel-good a thing as marmalade! The suits and shoes are pretty good too.
10 comments:
I may have to do this for myself this year. I seem to have lost out in the marmalade-as-a-gift department this year and, shockingly, have none. Store-bought is just not the same.
Lady Magnon makes runny Marmalade Soup. Even so, it tastes wonderful. I shall be having some in about 30 mins.
I've cried off this year as we are still eating our way through the vintage stock, but I do need to make chutney.
I'm keen to make my first batch of marmalade, but there are no Seville oranges to be found in this part of west Wales. Can I just use any old oranges or does it have to be Sevilles?
I've never made marmalade (I regret that we buy all our marmalade from IKEA where it is plentiful, Swedishly delicious and cheap). It goes excellently with oatcakes. Indeed oatcakes and marmalade with white butter is in my opinion the most satisfying snack known to man.
Yes I clicked on the link. I remember the Temptations from Uni days and Radio London.
The Temps will always bring a smile!
How wonderful to be able to make your own marmalade, Mountaineer. Such a delightful project just would not be possible in my little closet of a kitchen. Just imagining it has made me smile again.
xo
I tried making orange marmalade last year and it just didn't set. So when we ran out of homemade jam and had eaten store bought, not very tasty, I bought some overpriced peaches and made peach jam.
Chris - I think your oranges should really be Sevilles but don't see why you shouldn't use regular ones. Try with a small quantity and see how it works out. One can buy orange 'jam' on the continent - it's only us Brits who demand bitter Sevilles.
Totty-t - glad to see you are still in blog world!
When we lived in Spain , the market sold Seville oranges ( amargas) , sweet oranges ( dulces) and eating oranges ( called something that sounded like goauchintonays , which I always assumed was really Washingtons ) .
A judicious mix of bitter and sweet ones made fabulous orange juice .
Maybe I should do it... I often make jam or jellies, but never marmalade. It always looks so beautiful. Seville-hunting next week, maybe....
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