My Pearly Valentine

We don't officially do Valentine's Day. It is usually a meal together at home away from the overcrowded restaurants with their awkward atmosphere. I'm not sure what we're going to do tomorrow, perhaps nothing. Habibi surprised me with tulips yesterday to cheer me up - how lucky am I? I don't think I need a dedicated day to say I love you, but having said that I spent the afternoon evading my essay and making a card.

Marmalade and Guilt

I am guilty of neglect and I've been feeling terrible because of it, hence the absence. However, a new year and perhaps a new resolution? Hmmm, time will tell. But I have decided to wipe the slate clean and feel guilty no more! So here is my New Year's gift to you all... Marmalade!

Yesterday was cold, crisp and sunny, preparing us for the onslaught of snow that has arrived in full force today. It was the perfect day for making marmalade. We had stopped by Chadlington's butchers to stock up for the week and to my delight, the next door grocer had Sevilles outside the shop! I was a marmalade virgin and really hadn't anticipated quite how labour intensive it is, however, don't let this put you off because really it is only the slicing of the peel that takes so long. I used H's mum's recipe and it worked a treat, I just don't recommend trying to do it whist your kind other half is trying to cook you a roast dinner.

Margaret's Seville Orange Marmalade

800g Seville oranges

1 lemon

1 kilo bag + a good teacupful of granulated sugar

1. Wash fruit and cut out a small circle from the stalk end of each fruit. Place in a large pan (I use a largish oval le creuset casserole) with 1 ¾ pints of cold water. Cover with lid.

2. Bring to simmer and cook gently for a good hour until the whole fruits are softened.

3. Drain each fruit. Leave the water in the pan. Quarter fruit and scrape flesh and pips into a separate small pan. Slice peel finely into strips, cut across into short pieces and return to the casserole with the cooking water.

4. Add ½ pint of water to the flesh and pips. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Tip contents through a strainer into main casserole, squeezing as much gooey juice through as possible.

6. Add sugar to the peel and juice in the casserole. Heat gently until sugar has completely dissolved.

7. Raise heat to rolling boil and cook for about 20 minutes before testing for a set on chilled saucers. (Test for setting point – using your fingernail. If you can push a very soft crinkling skin across the surface of a blob of marmalade on a chilled saucer, the marmalade is ready).

8. If it hasn’t set, re-boil and recheck every 5 minutes (may take 30 – 40 minutes boiling before setting point but be careful not to boil too long).

9. Have about 5 or 6 clean jars ready in a warm oven.

10. Leave hot marmalade for about 10 minutes to settle. Skim off any scum from the surface, then fill the jars and seal whilst hot.