Preserving the best taste

摘要

I don't think there is a nicer smell wafting on to the towpath than that of marmalade being cooked. It's a nostalgic smell that stirs my infant memories of mother standing over her preserving pan, wooden spoon held high, testing for setting point. The captain was bought up on Golden Shred type marmalade and collecting those little enamel badges, but I didn't know anything about such trivia - all my preserves were home-made, bottled in jars which were finished off with a circle of gingham as a decorative lid. There's nothing like it. Make your own, and those shop-bought impostors will stay put on the shelves. You will never want them again.