My mother's marmalade
It's five years today since my mother died. I didn't post about her last year, and don't particularly intend to do so in future years, but, as I was talking about her marmalade recipe the other week, I thought I might mark the anniversary by posting it. Actually, when I looked in her recipe book, I found there were two recipes, the second labelled "Austerity Marmalade", so I've put that in too as perhaps fitting for these days.
As I have told some of you, in January 1962 my mother went downstairs to finish making the marmalade while she was in the early stages of labour with me; she explained that there wouldn't have been time to do it afterwards. I have always blamed this incident for the fact that I didn't eat her marmalade, which I am assured was very good. In subsequent years which I actually remember, I hated the smell of it boiling, so I presume I emerged into the world, took one sniff, and thought "What the hell is that?"
1. Seville Marmalade
6 Seville oranges
2 lemons (or sweet oranges)
4 pints water
[Sugar (she didn't actually list this but it's obviously critical!)]
NB First weigh pan. Brass pan = 8½ lbs.
Method
Quarter oranges. Scoop out pips & centre into basin. Sieve juice into pan. Put pulp & pips in muslin bag & tie on to pan. Cut peel. Add water. Leave 24 hrs. Boil about 20 mins - peel must be tender. Leave another 24 hrs. Weigh & add 1 lb sugar to 1 lb pulp, remembering to deduct weight of pan. Boil 30 to 40 mins. Test.
Note ¾ lb sugar to 1 lb pulp suffices. Satisfactory if not left 24 hrs.
2. Austerity Marmalade
3 or 4 oranges. - Quarter & scoop out inside. Cut peel. Put all in thick pan + 1 quart water. Boil till peel is tender. Add about 2½ - 3 lbs sugar (on same principle as above 1:1). Boil till reaches setting pt - say 30 - 40 mins.
2 tsps citric acid give a lemon flavour & help it to jell. Tangerine also gives taste.
She also left notes on the costings in the 1960s, the first instance being two years after I was born. I don't quite understand the sums, as in 1964 she's got 22 lbs of sugar and 6 lbs of oranges totalling 22 lbs, but in 1968 she's got 26 plus 7½ making 40... But I like the way she's carefully worked out the price per pound of marmalade. For those who don't remember pre-decimal money, 1/- means one shilling, and 1/2½d means one shilling and tuppence ha'penny.
Marmalade Jan 1964
22 lbs sug @ 9d = 16s 6d
6 lbs oranges @ 1/- = 6s
8 lemons = 2s
22 lbs = £1 4s 6d
1 lb = 1/1d
This made 4 boilings. Made 6 boilings in all.
1968
26 lbs sug @ 1/5d = £1 16s 10d
7½ lbs oranges @ 1/2 = 8s 9d
8 lemons @ 4d = 2s 8d
40 lbs marm = £2 8s 3d
1 lb marmalade approx = 1/2½d
Also posted on Dreamwidth, with
comments.
As I have told some of you, in January 1962 my mother went downstairs to finish making the marmalade while she was in the early stages of labour with me; she explained that there wouldn't have been time to do it afterwards. I have always blamed this incident for the fact that I didn't eat her marmalade, which I am assured was very good. In subsequent years which I actually remember, I hated the smell of it boiling, so I presume I emerged into the world, took one sniff, and thought "What the hell is that?"
1. Seville Marmalade
6 Seville oranges
2 lemons (or sweet oranges)
4 pints water
[Sugar (she didn't actually list this but it's obviously critical!)]
NB First weigh pan. Brass pan = 8½ lbs.
Method
Quarter oranges. Scoop out pips & centre into basin. Sieve juice into pan. Put pulp & pips in muslin bag & tie on to pan. Cut peel. Add water. Leave 24 hrs. Boil about 20 mins - peel must be tender. Leave another 24 hrs. Weigh & add 1 lb sugar to 1 lb pulp, remembering to deduct weight of pan. Boil 30 to 40 mins. Test.
Note ¾ lb sugar to 1 lb pulp suffices. Satisfactory if not left 24 hrs.
2. Austerity Marmalade
3 or 4 oranges. - Quarter & scoop out inside. Cut peel. Put all in thick pan + 1 quart water. Boil till peel is tender. Add about 2½ - 3 lbs sugar (on same principle as above 1:1). Boil till reaches setting pt - say 30 - 40 mins.
2 tsps citric acid give a lemon flavour & help it to jell. Tangerine also gives taste.
She also left notes on the costings in the 1960s, the first instance being two years after I was born. I don't quite understand the sums, as in 1964 she's got 22 lbs of sugar and 6 lbs of oranges totalling 22 lbs, but in 1968 she's got 26 plus 7½ making 40... But I like the way she's carefully worked out the price per pound of marmalade. For those who don't remember pre-decimal money, 1/- means one shilling, and 1/2½d means one shilling and tuppence ha'penny.
Marmalade Jan 1964
22 lbs sug @ 9d = 16s 6d
6 lbs oranges @ 1/- = 6s
8 lemons = 2s
22 lbs = £1 4s 6d
1 lb = 1/1d
This made 4 boilings. Made 6 boilings in all.
1968
26 lbs sug @ 1/5d = £1 16s 10d
7½ lbs oranges @ 1/2 = 8s 9d
8 lemons @ 4d = 2s 8d
40 lbs marm = £2 8s 3d
1 lb marmalade approx = 1/2½d
Also posted on Dreamwidth, with
comments.