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Helen Sturgess's avatar

Could I recommend the crystallised oranges from Emmett’s in Suffolk? They have been a game changer with resident peel haters here…..And I have just bought Camilla Wynne’s book “Nature’s Candy’ as I am going to give home made glacé fruit a go here. I think it is interesting that people have such loyalty to a particular recipe for marmalade. Patients are always telling me that for decades they have been making an especial one handed down. I wasn’t lucky enough to have this in my life and there is a family keeness for Nigel Slater’s marmalade recipe so that’s what I shall be making this week. Sadly, despite several attempts, I have never managed to recreate my Dad’s beloved Roses’s lime marmalade at home. Have you seen the international marmalade competition hosted by the Dalesman? Pam the Jam in heavily involved and people internationally come up with some splendid sounding concoctions that are sold by them and in Fortnum’s. Apparently marmalade is having a renaissance since the Paddington films!

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Jane Gibson's avatar

Lime marmalade is easily made. I always cook my fruit first before slicing as it is so much easier on the hand. Scoop the pith and pips back into the liquid and simmer for at least 15mins to extricate the pectin. Then sieve the liquid, add sliced fruit and sugar and proceed as usual.

My childhood home was just down the canal from Roses’ Lime Juice wharf in Hertfordshire so I can remember the barrels being delivered.

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Jane Brocket's avatar

A lime juice wharf - love it!

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Helen Sturgess's avatar

Oooh thank you! I shall try it later in the week. I have a box of limes coming from crowdfarming. whereabouts is lime juice wharf? I was born and lived in Harpenden!

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Jane Gibson's avatar

I lived in Boxmoor on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead and the Grand Union Canal was at the end of our garden. The wharf was just along the canal also in Boxmoor; it’s now the site of a B&Q store

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Jane Brocket's avatar

Thanks for the Emmett's suggestion - will look next time we go past.

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Sue Key's avatar

Love Pam the Jam!

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Avis Judd's avatar

Dear Jane, a lovely post as always. I am an enthusiastic marmalade maker. I keep hoping every year for one of my jars to win a prize at our local agricultural show, but no luck. Have you tried marmalade with crystallised ginger? 400 grams of crystallised ginger to 2lbs of Seville oranges. Put the ginger in at the same time with the 4lbs of sugar. It half dissolves in the boiling process. When it's all bottled up and then ready to be eaten you get half dissolved pieces of ginger to excavate from the jar. Also I think Roses Lime Marmalade is improved if it't kept in the fridge, it's all nice and cold when you put it on hot buttery toast.

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Jane Brocket's avatar

Thanks for the delicious-sounding suggestion!

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Claudia C's avatar

I’m not sure I will find enough of the proper oranges here in the US to make a first ever batch of marmalade, but I have learned to make my own glacé cherries thanks to you. I tried the Rock Buns recipe from your book ‘The Gentle Art of Domesticity’ and was determined to use something better than those awful candied fruits in our supermarkets. Thanks to the King Arthur Baking Company I found a recipe for candied cherries. Rock Buns are definitely on the baking list for this week. And the mitten is beautiful…love the colors.

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Lesley Randle's avatar

Talking of peel. When I was a child, Madeira cake always had a slice of Angelica on top. I loved the taste and texture. You never see it used in cake now.

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Caroline Miller's avatar

The antenna on my mother's butterfly cakes was always made with angelica and I loved it so much. Probably for the colour as much as the taste. I can't find it anywhere but would love to get some. I even tried to grow an angelica plant with some vague notion that I could make my own. Well, the plant brought it's own joy, but the size of the thing terrified me and I couldn't find a recipe, so that was the end of that! The search continues.

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Jenny Moore's avatar

From a quick look around the internet, candied angelica seems to be available on eg eBay. This site has it - Wilton's Wholefoods: https://wiltonwholefoods.com/2725-wilton-wholefoods-glace-angelica-100g-5060401021900.html

It was a staple of my childhood cakes too.

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Jane Gibson's avatar

They are an excellent local-to-me company and I buy their candied peel from their stall on Salisbury market.

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Avis Judd's avatar

Dear Leslie, you are quite right, what has happened to angelica? It seems to have disappeared. It that something else that has been banned? Does anyone know? Avis

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Maria (Linnesby essays)'s avatar

Enjoyed this very much, especially the paintings and discussion of them. On marmalade, a few years ago I came across a fantastic 1973 performance by Julie Andrews and Keith Mitchell (whom I don’t know otherwise) of AA Milne’s comic poem ”The King’s Breakfast ” which has lines like ”would you like to try a little marmalade instead?” It’s on YouTube, and a treat if one knows and loves the poem (and Julie Andrews and Keith Mitchell are brilliant in it).

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Hilary's avatar

Super article, Jane. I've won first prize in our tiny garden produce show several times so although we still have plenty left from last year (long story, but basically I get addicted to the process) I will still be making a batch of marmalade this year. This is just so I can enter again and keep my neighbours on their toes haha!!

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Constança Cabral's avatar

Hi Jane, I’ve only tried to make marmalade once and it when when we were living in England… I saw the alluring Seville oranges for sale and thought I’d give it a try. It was a miserable business and the result turned out too thick and a bit bitter… we ended up using it to make Nigella’s marmalade cake, which ended up saving those jars from the compost heap. Maybe one day you could perhaps share your recipe and some tips, please?

I wish I could go to those exhibitions, I’m a big fan of still lives and I’ve always been fascinating by those lemon peels. There’s a great lecture about this rather niche subject, here’s the link if anyone is interested: https://youtu.be/59KlVo_L8zA?si=wAwqDMUWoqKSZqgP

This Christmas I set a table inspired by 17th century Dutch painters and of course I had to include a couple of peeled lemons — I can now vouch for the difficulty in achieving those mesmerising, winding, long peels!

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Jane Brocket's avatar

Hello Constança, your table setting looks amazing and very beautiful! Lovely lemon peel, too. My marmalade recipe is very simple - 1.5kg Seville oranges, 2 lemons, 3 litres water, 3kg granulated sugar - but it's the process which needs a detailed description. I'll try to write it down. And, wow, a whole lecture on lemon/peel - I'll definitely watch. Thanks.

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Constança Cabral's avatar

Thank you so much, Jane! xx

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Sylvie's avatar

How fabulous !learn a new english word " a marmalade dropper " !!!!!

Merci beaucoup !!!

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Laura K Bray's avatar

Now you can make Nigella's Pantry-Shelf Chocolate-Orange Cake with your own marmalade! Oh that sounds good with a strong cup of tea.

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Judith Greenwood's avatar

I’m currently knitting blind with 2.5mm needles so fully endorse boycotting 1.5mm!

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Catherine's avatar

Great post, I’m in awe of your marvelous mittens! I have found that grapefruit peel is excellent candied, and the peel from ruby grapefruits is particularly lovely.

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Marie-France Leroi's avatar

I also recommend Camilla Wynne's book especially the Campari Grapefruit peel recipe.

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Deborah S's avatar

My marmalade tastes divine but is more of a pouring sauce than a set. But it will be enjoyed just as much regardless.

I’ve read instructions for making crystallised peel - sounds relatively easy, though I haven’t (yet?) tried to do it. Pam the Jam’s recipes and guidance are always reliable, worth looking at what she says and having a go.

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Jane Brocket's avatar

I tried making candied peel a few years ago and it was an absolute disaster, despite whoever wrote the recipe claiming it was simple!

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Sue Key's avatar

Oh Jane, I can’t go there with you on marmalade. I made it years ago for hubby, and now rely on a friend & sister-in-law to keep him supplied with the 2 jars he might or might not bother to eat. Still, your post is, as always, highly engaging & makes for a little piece of peace & ahhh during my Sunday.

Your mittens, however, simply gorgeous. I have a desire to make some, but I just can’t stop knitting socks for some reason.

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Gina Ferrari's avatar

I'm a regular marmalade maker but haven't found any oranges yet. Hoping Cambridge market might still have some left this week as I'm down to my last jar from 2024 which had a good slug of bourbon added!

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Jane Brocket's avatar

There have been plenty on the two fruit & veg stalls this week - hope you found some

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Gina Ferrari's avatar

I did… just before going down with Covid. The oranges are now glaring at me reproachfully every time I open the fridge. Hoping to have the energy to deal with them this week 🤞

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Jane Brocket's avatar

Oh dear! Hope you get better very soon. I'm sure the oranges will survive in the fridge x

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Deborah Colette Murphy’s's avatar

Sounds delish! Love the paintings, too. I have a friend who has been creating gorgeous artwork with orange peels.

Last September I went to Sicily and was introduced to marmalade made from their local blood red oranges-FABULOUS!

At a recent Christmas faire a woman made orange/ lemon/ grapefruit marmalade, also delish!

I recently started making sourdough bread. Mornings with marmalade a simple joy…

I am inspired to join in this year with marmalade makers!

Thanks!

Wish I could see those paintings , but I live down a dirt road in the woods of Southern Oregon…

Deborah Colette Murphy

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