Apparently the British are no longer a nation of marmalade eaters!! There has been a steady decline in sales over the past few years, not because we're busy making it ourselves but because we've acquired a love for chocolate spread and peanut butter!! Now, I like both of those two in moderation but not for breakfast, it's unthinkable.
We should all take a leaf out of Paddington Bear's book. He's 53 this year and doesn't look a day older than when he first came hot trotting it here from darkest Peru and the reason of course is all down to his diet of marmalade sandwiches.
The combination of reading this sad news and seeing the rather terrifying knobbly Seville oranges for sale in the supermarkets decided me on making some marmalade. It's not very difficult, but you do need a fair amount of patience (something I'm unfortunately short of) and a good memory (don't lick your fingers after squeezing the oranges .. they're mouth puckeringly bitter.) As usual, and similarly with jam, setting point can be a bit elusive, I must have tested for a set at least five times and in the end I thought that'll do and it was fine.
It took longer than expected, there's at least a couple of hours to while away whilst waiting for the peel to soften (a great excuse to get lost in a good book) and then there's that interminable wait for a set but all of that is forgotten when you come down to breakfast and are greeted, on the coldest of mornings, by the sight of hot buttery toast coated with this jewel like preserve .. it really does help brighten a dull day.
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