Jo Malone - inspiration for any business

Photo from Vogue.co.uk

Starting a business isn't always particularly easy, keeping it running perhaps even harder especially if you're juggling it around family and other commitments.  However, every now and again you come across someone who inspires you and keeps you going, for me this is Jo Malone.  I've worn her fragrances for a number of years  but it wasn't until I'd heard her on Radio 4 Desert Island discs whilst cooking one Friday that I really knew her story.  If you missed it you can listen here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xmqd6

I have to admit, whilst listening and learning about her humble business beginnings, her positive attitude towards life and the battles she and her family have shared I was left sobbing over the chopping board! Lets banish 'Blue Monday' and turn each day into a bright, sunny one!

Although our business is happily small, it wouldn't be here if it were not for the tireless help of my husband and friends, sometimes it just takes a moment to stop and think - life is rather amazing no matter what it may throw at us!!! 

Recipe: Snowdrop Cottage Seville Orange Marmalade

As promised here is our Snowdrop Cottage marmalade recipe.  I use fairly large quantities as there seems little point in only making a few jars!  The quantities stated will work well in a Maslin sized pan without causing any problems bubbling over. Roughly speaking 3kgs of Seville oranges will provide about 18 jars (340g).

Ingredients

3kgs Seville oranges

4 Lemons

9 Pints water

5kg Sugar

Method

1.  Wash the oranges and lemons. Peel the skin and then slice into fine shreds and add to your pan.

2.  Cut the oranges and lemons in half and  squeeze the juice from them retaining the pips to one side.

3.  Add the juice to the pan.

4.  Add the water to the pan.

5. Tie the pips in a bag of muslin and add to the water and shredded fruit skin.

6. Simmer until the skin has become soft and the liquid reduced by about half.

7.  Stir the sugar in and allow it to dissolve completely over a low heat.  If you rush this stage and fail to dissolve the sugar properly crystals will form in your finished marmalade.

8. Once fully dissolved bring your marmalade up to a rolling boil.

9. Once setting point has been reached allow the marmalade to cool slightly before pouring into sterilised jars.

Enjoy!

For the love of Marmalade.... said Paddington

Freshly made Seville Orange marmalade

Marmalade has been with us for quite some time, some say since 1700 when a badly damaged Spanish ship with a cargo of oranges found safety in Dundee harbour.  The cargo was sold cheaply to a down on his luck Merchant and his wife then made marmalade.  Perhaps it's this Merchant that then found his way to deepest darkest Peru and introduced Paddington's Aunt Lucy to it!

To withstand the tangy, bitter and somewhat bracing marmalade known as Seville you're probably a child reared before the 'naughties'.  Home made Seville orange marmalade was often on our breakfast table whilst we were growing up, a long with a tea pot and a  lot of chatter with my siblings!  These days it seems our breakfast tables are more likely to be adorned with mass produced cereals and and sweet tasting long life bread.  More and more of us are forgoing the rituals of breakfast and instead opting for a coffee picked up on the go instead.

Let's bring back the humble Seville orange marmalade!!  With a little patience and time you can make this liquid amber gold and proudly display it on your breakfast table with a huge smirk of satisfaction on your face!  A word of warning though!  Do not even try to attempt to make this marmalade unless you are child and partner free for the day.  You have a radio to listen to and plenty of time, you're in it for the long haul!

If you'd like to have a go at making some Seville orange marmalade I'll post my recipe shortly.  However, for those who just fancy trying a jar, come and see us at one of our markets and try some we cooked up this week (click here). Happy Marmalade making!!!

Christmas at Snowdrop Cottage

Christmas has arrived at Snowdrop Cottage!

We've been really busy at Snowdrop Cottage HQ over the last few weeks planning, prepping and tasting our new range.  We've a few new marmalades for you - a wonderfully boozy Orange and Whisky as well as our Ruby Red Grapefruit and Vodka for those wanting a little extra oomph!  Of course we have our traditional marmalades too for those who like a traditional offering or feel they have enough Christmas mojo without the need for extras!

Back by popular demand we bring you our delicious Christmas Puddings. Our Traditional pudding is made with butter, bramley apples and of course lashings of Brandy. We also have our 'Gingerbread & Cranberry' Christmas pudding with cranberries, toasted pecans and oranges.  Each one it goes without saying is made with Shipton Mill Organic Flour and our free range eggs.  Deliciously light and moorish they've become a must for many Christmas tables over the last few years.  This year we've even had new labels designed which I hope you'll love as much as we do!

Of course Christmas is a hectic time for so many of us, so with this in mind we offer some fabulous gift ideas.  Our gift boxes can be filled with a choice of three preserves, chutneys or honey or if you're looking for something a little larger we can also offer you our hamper, complete with bow and gift tag, wrapped and ready to give. These proved very popular last year and are very versatile.

Please come and see us at any of our events we're attending up to Christmas, or if we're not local to you we're happy to post - just drop us a line!  We're kicking off our first event at Henleaze Festival on Wednesday 3rd December so come a long and say hello!

New Event - Temple Quay Market

We're so excited to be attending this established market based in the business district of Temple Quay.  We'll be busy cooking on a Wednesday to make sure all our goodies are as fresh as can be to satisfy hungry office workers.  Our Christmas puddings will also be available as well as our other award winning preserves and chutneys.  

Hedgerow Foraging

Foraging it has to be said is in my blood.  My mother as a young girl would climb into a cart pulled by the family farm horse and with friends and relatives and an ample picnic would set off on the annual Autumn 'nutting party'.  It was an event which was eagerly anticipated by both young and old although keen eyes were needed to spot tricky nuts hidden under leaves.  

We don't have 'nutting parties' anymore unfortunately (boo, hiss), but that's not to say our countryside isn't bursting with berries and other delectable goodies waiting to be discovered.  With my children at school, a beautiful warm and sunny day and a few hours to spare, the hedgerows started calling.

Hiking boots on (stinging nettle defenders in my case), with bags at the ready it was time for the off. Walking along the country lanes, the sun on my face with peace and quiet, I felt quite simply - happy.  This year the hedgerows were almost groaning under the weight of the fruits and within a couple of hours I'd picked 3kgs of the most beautiful, dark jeweled berries, a handsome reward for the odd sting I reckon! 

That evening I strained the berries which had been cooked until soft, a wonderful mix of blackberries, elderberries and sloes and then started the jelly making process.  For my efforts I was rewarded with 4 jars of jelly, not a huge amount but the fun certainly made up any shortfall!  In the back of my cupboard I'd noticed a rather dusty bottle.  Closer inspection of the label read 'Sloe vodka, 2007, Solsbury Hill, Bath', so if you happen to bag a jar of this jelly you'll notice a slug of this ruby offering has been added to each jar!!  Next week I'll be venturing into the fields again to pick some more, what a fantastic way to spend a morning!

Summer has arrived at Snowdrop Cottage!

With building work continuing with our new kitchen build the only tranquility we have is in our lovely kitchen garden,  the one space I'm determined to keep tidy and build free!  The children have their sandpit in one half of the raised beds and can play happily whilst I weed away or simply enjoy a cheeky G&T in the shade of the grape vines. We're trying out a few different varieties this year and although our rainbow beetroot has been a bit of a failure, our early apricot hued flowers of our runner beans are already providing some meals on the table.

 

A good friend bought me this vegetable trug for my birthday last year so I couldn't wait to try it out!  We've sampled the runner beans in our salad tonight and my daughter who grew the beetroot will be sampling some of it roasted in a risotto for dinner tomorrow. The children love growing vegetables and the raspberries are eagerly put into hungry mouths - we've yet to try any of them!

We're trying to grow some squash and kale this summer and so far so good!  The slugs and other bitey vegetable lovers are staying at bay for now.  If any of you have suggestions how to keep the aphids at bay I'd love to hear them!  We try not to spray anything in the garden.

As you can see my rhubarb plant has excelled, one of our customers has put a request in for some rhubarb preserve which will soon be on the stall ready!  Keep your eyes peeled for an update!  Hope everyone out there is managing to enjoy their gardens too!