Farms Urged To Plan Their Marmalade Strategies Now
Farming families around the country are being encouraged to plan marmalade-making day in January, using their own or a secret family recipe, to be in the running for a prestigious marmalade prize.
The Worlds Original Marmalade Festival will take place at Dalemain Mansion and Historic Gardens, near Penrith, Cumbria on February 14, 2010. It is being sponsored by Tiptree, Roses, Frank Coopers and Robertsons and has support from Farm Stay UK.
This wonderful marmalade celebration includes a competition to find the best marmalades in the world. With eleven home cook categories, plus one for artisan makers to choose from, there is a category to suit almost anyone.
Farm bed and breakfast establishments may be interested in the Best Bed and Breakfast Marmalade category, or a more specialised category such as Seville Orange, Any Citrus or Dark and Chunky.
The men on the farm could also demonstrate their prowess in the kitchen by entering the Best Man-Made category.
Marmalades must be submitted by February 1, 2010 for the artisan competition and by February 7 for the amateur categories. Marmalade entries can be received from January 4 by post and from February 1, 2010 by hand to the Dalemain tearoom.
There are also 54 marmalade collection points around the country, set up in conjunction with Farm Stay UK. A full list of these, competition rules and packaging instructions can all be found at www.marmaladefestival.com Entries using this network must be delivered to the chosen collection point by January 27, 2010.
All entries raise money for Hospice at Home, various other hospices and, new for this year, Help for Heroes. Entry fees per jar are 1 for the childrens category, 5 for the other non-commercial categories and 25 for the Artisan/Commercial Producers category.
Each entrant receives a scorecard showing marks for taste, colour and set and a Bronze, Silver or Gold certificate. Best in Show receives a special silver cup presented by the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers.
Category winners also get a special prize and a double gold standard winner in the artisan category will be offered the opportunity to have their marmalade on sale in Fortnum & Mason, in London.
Founder and organiser of the competition, Jane Hasell-McCosh, says: January is the best time of year to make marmalade, as that is when Seville oranges are in season. We are sure that farms will submit some excellent marmalades and would encourage them to use the Christmas break to plan their category and entry.
Last years Festival saw Mrs Kidd of Yew Tree Farm in Congleton, Cheshire winning both a gold and bronze award in the Bed and Breakfast category.