The Bitter & the Sweet

[Taffy Jack]

When I was a kid (neither "wee lad" nor "bairn"; I came up in the damp green mildness of Oregon), my mother frequently coaxed us into eating that never-quite-sweet-enough spread known as marmalade. After enough iterations, even of the thin commercial variety sold under the marque "King Kelly," it starts to dawn on even a hardheaded lad: this stuff is GOOD!

Lately, Pretty Wife has begun experimenting with marmalade recipes, and her mother (another expert kitchen commando) is also getting in on the game. They quickly transcended the traditional Seville oranges and started playing with grapefruit, blood oranges, lemon zest, and Iranian sour oranges.

The hell of it is, I'm required to taste each version! Strictly for quality control purposes, of course, but it's quite a burden. About four extra pounds of burden, in fact -- and I fear they're just getting started.

While chatting this evening by phone with my mother (who had just opened her personal shipment of fresh marmalade), she recalled that there may have been some vaguely piratical overtones to the sticky origins of the stuff. That led me to googling, and turned up this note in the Telegraph (see link, below).

It may be that marmalade is (horrors!) passing from the palates of younger Britons. As for me, I'm not concerned.

We have accumulated approximately two lifetimes' worth.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddr...-preserve.html

[The Q]

My favourite always used to be Lime Marmalade, sadly as I'm now diabetic it's banned, there are diabetic marmalade but they come with this warning..."Excessive consumption may produce laxative effects"

[MacGumerait]

Taffy Jack , I'm guessing that once the " hipster " segment of the younger generation stumble upon the fact that marmalade is falling by the wayside through articles as reported in the Telegraph .... they will try it ... and whether they like it or not , they will take it up as a crusade to promote the next new " hip " food item .

The marmalade situation reminds me of salmon .

When I was a young boy being solely raised by my Scottish grandparents we ate a lot salmon ( I'm 60 yrs old ). My grandfather used to say that salmon was a poor man's " steak " as it was very inexpensive at the time .

One day I woke up and discovered that salmon had become popular . Now I can't afford it .

Perhaps marmalade is on that same path . Who knows ?

Cheers , Mike

[javankrona]

As a kid visiting the grandparents, they always had marmalade at the breakfast table; I always tried it ... never, ever liked it. UNTIL!!! I discovered beignets at a local "another broken egg cafe." The beignets are there, plated with a bowl of orange marmalade. Small spread across the top of the beignet: wonderful.

Grandparents just didn't offer the correct pairing for marmalade when I was growing up. That ... or they didn't pass the beignets to the grands ...

[Father Bill]

I am an absolute marmalade lover!

The meds I take with my diabetes (II) forbid me from grapefruit marm, and of course the sugar is a major problem, BUT Mother Bill has found a marvellous "no sugar added" marmalade. Of course that doesn't mean no sugar, just no extra sugar, but close enough that my numbers are still well under control and my tongue...

...is grateful!

[Tobus]

When I was growing up, I didn't care for marmalade. The chewiness and bitterness of the orange peel was a turn-off. As an adult, I quite enjoy a small dollop of it smeared on a hot buttered biscuit. But my favorite use for marmalade by far is this summertime adult beverage:

Kentucky Brunch:

3 oz Bourbon (I prefer Bulleit bourbon, but any brand will do)
1 oz Cointreau
4 oz fresh sour mix (3 parts fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 2 parts simple syrup*)
2 heaping spoons of orange marmalade
1 egg white

Dry-shake the egg white with ice in a cocktail shaker until the ice is well coated in egg white. Add the remaining ingredients and shake until frothy and well chilled. This makes two cocktail servings. I do not recommend pouring it over any additional ice, as that only waters it down. The strong lemon-orange flavors over the bourbon create a very refreshing way to relax on a hot summer afternoon. Trust me, you will fall in love with this drink. Summer won't be the same without it.

*Simple syrup is easily made with equal parts sugar and water. Heat up the water, stir in the sugar until dissolved, and chill in the refrigerator. Don't make a cocktail with warm/hot simple syrup.

[Father Bill]

Surprise, surprise, it also goes great on chocolate ice cream (or in my case, frozen yogourt).