Author(s): Sarah Randell

Cooking

From the arrival of the first boxes of bitter Seville oranges at the greengrocer's in January, to the sweet-sharp scent of citrus fruit filling the kitchen as the preserving pan bubbles away on the stove, there is something deeply satisfying about the annual ritual of making marmalade and piling the pantry shelves high with neatly labeled jars of glistening preserves. Once you've perfected the set and balanced the bittersweet flavour in your traditional orange marmalade, you might experiment with different fruits, or try adding alcohol, essences or spices - cardamom, ginger or a hint of bergamot - but after that, what to do with all those pots of citrus perfection? A jar or two to friends and family, another for the breakfast table...and then what? It's time to start using it for baking and cooking. From Christmas ham to rhubarb and marmalade trifle, and from chocolate fondants with bitter orange centres to marmalade marguerites, here is all the inspiration you need to make the most of marmalade right through the year.