Opposites Attract
Orange Marmalade with Whisky
Remember Paddington Bear and his fondness for orange marmalade? I often feel the same way. Especially here in a city filled with shelves of citrus marmalades of every kind. The first time I noticed this, I was taken aback and pondered over my choice. Over time and through trial and error, my favourite has become orange marmalade with ginger, with the roughly chopped rind giving it a slight bitterness. But I also adore the delicate, slightly cloudy, amber-coloured orange jam version. Lined up ready for tasting, we had marmalade with brandy and whisky, a citrus blend and a lemon curd. These treasures and more were discovered in a quaint, authentic tea shop nearby. Chatting with the saleswoman, I learnt that the shop had just celebrated its 125th anniversary. How incredible! And while my heart aches with nostalgia when I recall being told: "La confiture à l'orange de Menton... est un délice", it truly evokes the vividness and potency of the lemons and oranges from Menton, one of the ochre-hued towns on the French Riviera close to the Italian border. But time swiftly propels us towards new horizons. And now, Paddington Bear feels closer and clearer to me.
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg oranges
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2¼ kg white refined sugar
- 450 g dark muscovado sugar
- 150 ml whisky
Method
- 1Place the whole oranges and lemon juice into a large pot, cover with 2 litres of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 hours until the orange peel is tender.
- 2Drain the water into another pot and set to one side. Scoop out the orange pulp, including the seeds and pith, and combine with the water. Bring to the boil and cook for 6 minutes, then strain through a sieve.
- 3Finely chop the orange peel, combine with the white and muscovado sugar and the orange pulp liquid. Cook over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil vigorously for 15–25 minutes. Add the whisky, remove the foam and store in jars.
