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Marmalade

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Marmalade is a sweet and tangy fruit preserve. It has a texture very similar to jam. Most people make it using the juice and peel of citrus fruits.

Marmalade spread on bread
Marmalade spread on bread

Bitter oranges are a very popular choice for this. They are used because they have a high pectin content. Pectin is a natural substance that helps the mixture become thick. This balance of acid and pectin is important for the right consistency. If a fruit has low pectin, makers might add it in.

FollowsAndBateMarmaladeCutter
FollowsAndBateMarmaladeCutter

Making marmalade involves a few specific steps. First, the fruit must be washed and peeled. Next, the peel goes through a pre-treatment. This helps to remove bitterness or allows for sugar-dipping. After that, the ingredients are mixed together. The final step is boiling the mixture with sugar and water.

Mary Kettilby's A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts book (year 1714) (page 78-79)
Mary Kettilby's A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts book (year 1714) (page 78-79)

White sugar is the most common sweetener used. However, some people use sugar substitutes like sucralose or saccharin. Some makers even add artificial dyes to improve the look.

The history of marmalade is quite long. In the 1500s, it was often made from quince fruit. This quince version was a firm, reddish, sweet paste. It was imported to England from Spain and Italy.

Mary Kettilby's A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts book (year 1714) (page 78-79)
Mary Kettilby's A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts book (year 1714) (page 78-79)

Mary Kettilby wrote about making it in her 1714 book. She described boiling the orange peel and pulp until soft. In the 1700s, the Scots changed the recipe. They added more water to make it less solid. This helped turn marmalade into a popular breakfast food.

Many famous names are linked to marmalade history. James and Marion Robertson founded Robertson's in 1864 in Paisley. They were known for making Golden Shred marmalade.

JamesRobertson
JamesRobertson

Another company, Keiller, started in Dundee. James Keiller and his mother, Janet, ran a small shop there. In 1773, James Boswell and Samuel Johnson ate it for breakfast in Scotland. The word itself has deep roots. It comes from French and Portuguese. The oldest known Portuguese use is in a 1521 play. It traces back to a Greek word meaning "sweet apple."

You might recognize marmalade from stories or movies. The fictional character Paddington Bear loves it very much. He even keeps it in his hat for later!

"Bear Necessities" Paddington Bear, Great Russell Street - geograph.org.uk - 4262782
"Bear Necessities" Paddington Bear, Great Russell Street - geograph.org.uk - 4262782

A 2014 Paddington movie actually increased marmalade sales in the UK. People enjoy eating it on many different things. You can spread it on toast, cookies, or biscuits. It can also be used in smoothies or on other bakery products. It is a treat that many people have enjoyed for centuries.

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File:Mary Kettilby's A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts book (year 1714) (page 78-79).png
Mary Kettilby's A Collection of Above...
File:FollowsAndBateMarmaladeCutter.jpg
FollowsAndBateMarmaladeCutter.jpg
File:Marmalade spread on bread.jpg
Marmalade spread on bread.jpg
File:JamesRobertson.jpg
JamesRobertson.jpg
File:"Bear Necessities" Paddington Bear, Great Russell Street - geograph.org.uk - 4262782.jpg
"Bear Necessities" Paddington Bear, Great...
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