There is something quite enchanting about fruit beautifully presented. Ordinarily Waitrose sells the oranges in Kg boxes, but I was attracted by the wrappers adorning the fruit, beautifully packed, in open cardboard boxes, depicting The Ave Maria Organic Orange Farm close to Seville. Don't they look pretty used up as a wrapping for the jars before they are stored away?
These organic Seville Oranges were fresh, bright and in perfect condition. The wrapped ones had slight marks, but it just proves that they are grown on trees and not made by some magic plastic fairy.
Fruit tissue wrappings for transport are not a novelty. The New Gastronome has an article by Lisa Schultz on citrus fruit wrappers which is interesting. I was transported to the foothills of Mount Etna, when we walked through the organic citrus groves, after a delicious lunch cooked for us on the farm,
And are those oranges on the kitchen tiles? Maybe. I have been making marmalade each year for years. A note in my old cook book for 1977 shows I had made 48lbs that year, and that the oranges cost 16p per pound, and the sugar om 1979 29p per kilo. In 1980 the oranges were 24p per pound.
My Mom & Dad always had orange marmalade on their morning toast. I miss them. Thanks for bringing back a memory.
ReplyDeleteYour marmalade looks delicious!
It is little things like remembering your parents enjoying their breakfasts that bring them closer. If you want any ideas for marmalades I have ones made from several of the citrus fruit on my other blog: Mrs Mace preserves.
DeleteI haven't seen oranges in paper wrappers for years, and these are especially pretty - no wonder you wanted to keep them. It is curious that the wrapped ones had blemishes though... Now, you told us about previous batches, but not how much the oranges cost or how many pounds you made this year - and was the 48lbs in 1977 made for your own consumption?
ReplyDeleteNot exactly blemishes ie back bits, more the off wrinkle or bump, still completely acceptable. The 48lb in 1977, well that is a long way back. I always share my preserves. This year is was just 10 Large and 4 medium, but these are smaller than the 1lb jars I used to use. Something like £2.37 Kg, a little cheaper than the ones they sell in Kg boxes. I haven't kept details of the price in the intervening years! Sometimes I come across a receipt in an old cookery book, used as a book mark, and that makes quite interesting reading.
DeleteBut now I also make: lime a sure favourite, grapefruit, lemon, and other unusual citrus and combinations. I post original recipes on my other blog.
DeleteThe wrappers are quite beautiful Noelle and remind of how our Christmas tangerines as children were wrapped. My sister has made marmalade this weekend and has sent me a photo with the promise of a jar when we are able to meet again. There is also a bottle of damson gin that she made last year with my name on it 😄
ReplyDeleteBoth Marmalade and gin improve, so no worry, we need to be a little patient. When they started to use wax on the fruit there was no longer any need to use the papers, but wouldn't it be lovely if they started using them again.
ReplyDelete