Ragtag Saturday: Foraging in Valencia for marmalade in England

One of the joys of being in Valencia was walking down streets and through parks lined with orange trees.  It’s orange season right now, so they were looking at their best.  They’re bitter Seville oranges of course, the ones we use for marmalade.  Juicy sweet ones would probably be too much of a temptation for passers-by.

Orange trees in Valencia.

Last Sunday though, when we were walking in the Turia, we spotted fallen fruit under many of the trees.  A forager by nature, I couldn’t leave them there to rot.  No, we had to gather them, so that when we returned home, we could have a very special souvenir of our holiday.  Home-made marmalade, cooked from fruit gathered in Orange Central: Valencia.

Foraged oranges.
Part prepared…..
Chopped and ready for the final bit of cooking.

I can’t show you the finished article.  The marmalade is simmering on the stove as I type.

Today’s Ragtag Challenge is: cook

P.S. …..

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

25 thoughts on “Ragtag Saturday: Foraging in Valencia for marmalade in England”

    1. Are you sure no local markets have Seville oranges? Some local stallholders got them in, brought in specially for the Brits, but increasingly appreciated by locals.

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  9. Thank you, Margaret. You’ve reminded me that it’s time to look out for Seville oranges in the local market before the short season comes to an end. Your extra-special marmalade looks good!

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  10. Good on you for foraging such wonderful oranges that make the best marmalade. I have not found Seville oranges available here. I have always been intimidated by the big pots, lots of time, etc that making marmalade seems to entail, but a few months ago I was inspired by the rather bitter grapefruit on a tree in our garden to give making marmalade a try. I discovered online a microwave recipe that is flexible enough to allow any combinations of citrus. I added an orange and a lemon to the grapefruit and ended up with quite a nice marmalade! Not exactly traditional, but something I could manage and in under two hours 🙂 Your marmalade looks wonderful.

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    1. Actually, it is rather good, said she modestly. But I love grapefruit marmalade too, though I had no idea you coud make such things in a microwave. No use for us. We don’t own one. Dinosaurs rule!

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      1. We resisted a microwave for many years. However, now we have a small oven and microwave combined thingy, and I concede that the microwave is useful for things like warming milk (to make yoghurt or when hand-raising kittens), warming oils (to make soap) – and making marmalade 🙂

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