Friday 18 September 2015

Dressed to kill making marmalade...

I think not! Here is me wearing/posing with a new tee shirt requested for my birthday a few months back - it looks like something has nibbled off the fingers on my hand:
Once that was photographed to send to DS and DDiL who gave it to me, I donned an apron and set too making marmalade. Now you can make this the slightly more slower way by buying in Seville Oranges (if you can ever find any, we usually can't). You can make it fresh with them or prepare them and freeze the rind, pulp and juice for later on.

If no Seville Oranges can be obtained, you can use a can of Mamade. We cannot abide shop bought marmalade, too sweet and often sickly, even some of the good stuff. Besides, I like to add goodies to mine. Off we go then - can of Mamade and sugar in the preserving pan:
I shall be flavouring the jars with Whisky, Brandy and Ginger:
 Jars have been washed and are being sterilised in a hot oven:
 Lids coming to a boil ready to steralise:

After the marmalade was ready, I filled up half a jar, added the extra items, then filled them nearly to the brim. They are left for just a few minutes to allow the level to drop slightly before the final fill up and lids put on. The Whisky and Brandy ones:
The two at the back have ginger in them and the little one at the front is plain:
These will be labelled once cold and some given as presents. No further treatment is needed as the high level of sugar will preserve everything, often for a few years if stored well.

16 comments:

  1. Love homemade marmalade, I have used mamade but prefer it really chunky. My last batch only had 2 Seville oranges in it, the rest was a mixture of some very toe curling sour satsumas and grapefruit, it is delicious.

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    1. We aren't too keen on chunky but I know different kinds of fruit make nice marmalade.

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  2. I add lemon and lime peel and some of the juice to a basic Mamade can to make 3 fruits marmalade. Love the teeshirt! Busy making some this week for Christmas gifts

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    1. That sounds interesting, plenty of variations.

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  3. Ooh! I've made plenty of jam but never attempted marmalade. I like the idea of giving it a try with whiskey. X

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    1. I find it quicker to make and just tastes so much better.

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  4. I have made marmalade a couple of times, and it's lovely, so much nicer than shop bought. But I just can't be doing with all that chopping/cutting of peel, we don't eat enough of it to justify the effort.

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    1. That is why a can of Mamade is so useful as it is ready to go. Just add sugar and a little water and soon you have it finished. Some of ours is given away as presents.

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  5. I made marmalade for the first time this year and it was a success. I shall be doing it again.

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  6. I used to make marmalade with mamade but we can't get it here any more.The only place that carried it was the co-op but no more. Too bad because I really liked it and as you say, it was so easy.

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    1. Have you checked on the internet. I did a quick search for Canada and Mamade and several sites came up although I didn't investigate them further.

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  7. I`m the only one that would eat it in my home, so marmalade is rarely made here. I`ve made plenty of boozy blackberry and crab apple jam, though.

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    1. Boozy blackberry and crab apple sounds great.

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  8. Ooooh, using Jameson's 12 year old whiskey in marmalade.....sacrilege!!!
    DH and DS are big marmalade fans, I'm not keen on it, but I make it for them.
    Lakeland do a range of prepared fruits, oranges, lemons and even strawberries! I've not 'cheated' by using prepared fruit when making jam or marmalade so far, but in future, I just might consider it!

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    1. I have always used fresh fruit for jam but Mamade is so much easier. It is cheaper usually than Lakeland - about 7p per 100g plus postage for us on top. Don't like lemon marmalade. MiL used to make Lemon & Carrot, Lemon & Rum, Orange & Lemon!

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