second breakfasts
2010
We do have hobbitty tendencies here in Bootville. One of them is certainly the sneaking in of second breakfasts. Though I must add, we usually only indulge in this on the weekends when we are together and collectively greedy :-) But this morning, after a few hours of chores – ay! ay! ay! getting the washing dry in Melbourne – a furry, chilled fog lingered, the rows of warm golden marmalade on the windowsill beckoned and there was even a lonesome, stale croissant sitting in front of the toaster. Mmmmm ….
Yep, I made marmalade on Sunday past. We wound our way up Mt. Dandenong last rainy Saturday and visited the sweet hamlet of Olinda. Oh glory! What a pretty place! Every corner was rounded with cries of “Oh look at that!” The deciduous trees were truly splendid in their autumn fieriness, especially as they are nestled among the greys and grey-greens of the dripping wet, towering eucalypts. And little dirt roads led up and down glades to all kinds of cottages and farmhouses. There were farm gate stalls galore, bulb and rose nurseries, lots of dear little cafes and restaurants, and on the other side of the mountain, the Silvan reservoir where we picnicked and collected bags and bags of mushrooms, all of which proved inedible :-)
However, I did buy a 3 kg bag of local sweet navel oranges and on Sunday, with the encouragement of Abby and advice of Nigella, set to making my very first batch of jam. Weeeellll .. that’s not entirely true. There was once a batch of incredibly GHASTLY green passionfruit jam that not even Old Grandad would eat, but since it was completely inedible, we don’t have to count that one, right?
I boiled the oranges for 3 hours – the house was thick and warm with a steamy-orangey fragrance; drained the pot, finely chopped the squishy oranges, put them back in the pot with their weight in raw sugar and the juice of six lemons. Then I boiled this FURIOUSLY for 15 minutes – orange lava. When a teaspoon full made a glob on a frozen saucer, it was done. I ladled it messily into seven 600ml glass jars and there you go. Marmalade. It looks so pretty and even tastes like marmalade!
So, second breakfasts. As you can see from the state of the croissant, I’m no good at toasting. Never mind, the yummy marmalade will hide the charcoal :-0
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oooohhhh! Orange marmalade! I *adore* orange marmalade. Without hesitation or regret, I would trample little old ladies in my way to get to the orange marmalade. mmmmmm. :-)
You crack me up! Burnt criossants, “and it even tastes like marmalade.” Too funny! And I can just smell it all. Definitely worth a second breakfast!
I love love love marmalade! My excuse for second breakfast is that around 10:15 in the morning the kids are having recess and a snack at school. So I should eat so we’re all in sync.
God Bless Nigella. She’s given me some great advice when I needed it as well. I’ve never made marmalade and yours looks so yummy. We made strawberry jam last weekend and had to indulge in some “second” breakfasts as well. Here’s to hobbit living. ; Take Care
yum!!!! we love our second breakfast here too!!!
xo
~erin
Sounds delicious!
I’m having my second breakfast as we speak. Nothing quite as nice as yours with homemade marmalade. You’re a wonder. I’m afraid of jam-type recipes. I blame the extension service brochures of warning of canning gone wrong. Deep seated if misguided because this has nothing to do with that except that the marmalade goes in jars. :-) Thank you for the therapy, Dr. Lily. ;-)
second breakfast is our favorite meal too. i just love the look of that marmalade! nicely done, hobbit friends!
Yummy!!! definitely looks like sunshine in a bottle and I bet it tastes just as delicious… second breakfasts sound so much lovelier than ‘snacking’… Can I join you for a wee bit of tasting that gorgeous homemade marmalade ;)