Marmalade time.

Earlier this week I called on some friends and as soon as the door was opened I could smell oranges. It’s that time of year again when the Seville oranges are in the shops and ready for marmalade making. So, the kitchen table was covered in all they needed – cooked and scooped out halves of oranges, with a jug of juice and a plate of pips. Plenty of sparkling jars were ready and waiting too. But it was the recipe that caught my eye – a pamphlet smaller than A4, six or so pages with precise instructions, printed in bold turquoise and orange. It probably dated from the 50’s or 60’s as it was compiled by Marguerite Patten who was a famed cookery writer and author of my very first recipe book. She came to my college in Bath and spoke to we “gals” in the lecture theatre but I can’t remember much of the talk to be honest. She was seconded to the Ministry of Food in World War 2 to help the nation deal with food shortages and rationing. She was responsible for Woolton Pie – a vegetable cottage pie with oatmeal and marmite gravy. My year six class made it once. Never again!