Snoo's kitchen

Marmalade madness

Hurrah! It’s Friday and the weekend stretches out in all its loveliness. Have made two batches of marmalade this week – it reminded me of when I was planning my wedding. I wanted to give everyone something to take away as a reminder but all the websites I found for ‘wedding favours’ seemed to be full of sugared almonds. From somewhere in the ether came the idea that I could make everyone a jar of marmalade. Despite never having made marmalade before, this seemed a great idea. I bought 80 jam jars from http://www.jamjarshop.com and found a recipe in a magazine. My first batch came out fine but I only filled about 10 jars. The house smelled of marmalade for about two weeks and once I had finished, I swore I wouldn’t make any marmalade again. Equally, I had no idea whether it tasted ok or if my wedding guests would like the idea and be prepared to take a jar home with them or even enjoy eating it. We put a jar on everyone’s place setting and at the end of the day, there were no jars left on the tables. I did say something like “free refills if you bring back the jar” but it was my wedding day and I wasn’t thinking clearly. Luckily only a handful of people remembered so I duly made more marmalade the following January…but just one batch. So, back to this week’s marmalade. My ‘wedding marmalade’ recipe disappeared and I have never been able to find it again. I have adapted a number of recipes to come up with own very special one:

Snoo’s kitchen marmalade

1kg Seville oranges

2 lemons

1 pink grapefruit

2 litres of water

2kg granulated sugar

Peel the oranges, lemons and grapefruit trying not to include the pith. Then slice all the peel into very thin strips. This is laborious but worth it! Cut the oranges and lemons into quarters and put in a muslin (I used an old clean tea towel). Pour 2 litres of water into a big pan. Add the thin peelings and the tied up fruit. I usually just eat the pink grapefruit. Bring the pan to the boil and then simmer for two hours – making sure the bag of fruit is submerged. I stick the pan in the simmering oven in the Aga for a good two hours. Take the pan off the heat and lift the bag of fruit out – be careful as it will be very hot. Squeeze as much of the juice out of the bagged fruit as you can (I always find this very hard but barbecue tongs can help). Add the sugar and bring it back to a simmer stirring until the sugar is all dissolved. Boil rapidly for 25 mins. You can do the ‘set’ test but I have never really worked out whether my marmalade is at the right point – I end up with lots saucers in the freezer or fridge and numerous teaspoons for testing. But 25 minutes on a rolling boil does it for me every time. Let the marmalade stand for 10 minutes (I remove the scum from around the edge of the pan. Warm the sterilised jars (I just put them through the dishwasher) and fill with the slightly cooled marmalade. I put in waxed paper and then cover with the cellophane tops but you can just put the lid on. Pots of gleaming golden-ness!!!

Mondays

Best thing about Mondays is University Challenge followed by Only Connect. Today was no exception. A completely mad day at the coal face but timings were perfect. Caught the 18.18 from Waterloo; husband was on the same train so we puffed up the hill together. That was my exercise for the day. Poor man dragged his weary body off to Monday Night Football – I went to pick him up once and was incredulous that so many middle-aged men still wanted to chase a ball round the park in the pouring rain. But if it’s ever cancelled, sharing my Monday night is weird. I have friends that feel the same. So, my vegetable fry up with two Aga-fried eggs was ready exactly as the closing bars of the opening theme tune were playing. I got a few right – the potato one and the Picasso one. Always feel clever when I can answer correctly. Only Connect is tougher but addictive. And it seems youngsters start out on UC and graduate to Only Connect…where next? Eggheads? Mastermind? Husband home – he nearly scored but the ball ended up in the river… Best not to ask. Killer freeze on its way. That’ll knock out south west trains (autocorrect had changed that to spout heresy – don’t you just love that thing) so maybe I’ll be spared the wonder that is commuting. Best travel moment today – someone got on the train and unfolded a stool to sit on: worst travel moment – was texting child and hit Siri by mistake in a quiet carriage – pairs of eyes swivelled and tuts resounded…

Where to start?

This is my first ever blog. I am not technically literate. And it seems like I am writing into a big, black hole. A little about me. I have a husband and children, and cats. Note the order – although sometimes, the cats come first, or the children and then the cats. We laugh about it. I get paid for reading other people’s words so I thought it was time to write my own words which other people can read for free. This may be the last time I attempt to write a blog. Who knows? I love to cook and I love to eat great food. I read recipe books before going to sleep and plan endless menus. So it’s a little weird that, when I was phoned by a certain famous cooking programme which turns amateur chefs into Michelin starred sensations, my mind went blank. The very enthusiastic researcher asked what three courses I would cook for Greg and John. Panic set in. I racked my brain to think of something you would eat as a starter and said “Soup! Courgette soup!” Very tasty, said the researcher. “Followed by fish and chips” – well it was a Friday and that’s all I could think of – “Homemade fish and chips, I mean”; Sounds delicious, said the researcher. “And meringues for pudding” – everyone’s always liked my meringues. That sounds a lovely menu, said the research, if you don’t hear from us in the next few days, then we won’t be taking you through to the next stage. I didn’t hold my breath and I realised that I had failed at the first post. Watching the next series, someone did cook fish and chips, so I felt like I wasn’t so far off the mark….