Marmalade Season

Seville oranges are in and I bottled up 3.5 kilos of very dark thick cut Oxford style marmalade last weekend. I used Delia's long slow cooking method to achieve the requisite depth of colour. Mine looks a good deal darker than that pictured on her site and it makes your teeth curl - in a good way. If I get energetic this weekend I may try making another batch of a lighter more syrupy sort. I have just found this recipe in my 'Friends of the Glencoe Museum' cookbook:
Marmalade for an Invalid
Put into a steamer and steam over water 2 lbs. Seville Oranges until the rinds are tender. Remove the rind and shred finely. Mash the oranges, remove the pips and any coarse bits, measure the pulp and rinds and add 1 lb. of wild bee honey. Cook very slowly, just to the boil, for about three quarters of an hour. Put in glasses or jars and cover with parchment, preferably pig's parchment.


*World Marmalade Festival takes place this year on February 14th! (in Cumbria)