Reading the title you might ?think that I am going to comment on these reality game show, however it is not possible due to the fact that I have never seen any of these shows, although it has been on TV a lot of years.? On the contrary, this post is devoted to my dearest brother who is a good cook and hard worker too.
There are some familiar events dotted along the year, and making jam is one of them. Every January, after Christmas Holidays, we pick up some kilos of bitter oranges from the trees close to my brother?s house. Before they are harvested by Council?s workers, we make bitter orange marmalade. Well, to tell the truth, we only help my brother. This jam needs more work than that made with blackberries, peaches or plums; so, we share the Saturday afternoon with some friends who come to help us, and this year they were my parents who were there.
It is said that all bitter oranges harvested in Seville are sent to the UK where they make the well reknowned Sevillian marmalade. What is less known is that the person who came up with the idea of using bitter orange trees for decoration in the city was An?bal Gonz?lez. In fact, he is famous for all the important buildings he designed and that were central to the construction of our city?s identity; for example Plaza de Espa?a.
Therefore, thanks to that architect we have those trees all around the city and we can enjoy their vibrant colour as well as their beautiful scent in spring season. And thanks to him, we can make delicious bitter orange marmalade. This year, due to the recent rains, we made it in February, just a few days before the orange?s blossomed.
Coming back to my brother, he has a different recipe for each jam depending on the fruit he uses. And as all good cooks know, the main ingredients are patience and love, alongside quality fruit. Although each one has their particular favorite flavour, I am sure our family and friends agree with me in affirming that my brother is an excellent chef and makes the best jam in Seville and possibly the whole world.
Do you make jam? Who is the best cook in your family?
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Dear Gloria, I love your post. Just made me think of Lord Byron’s Don Juan when mentions the oranges:
Lord Byron (From Don Juan)
IN Seville was he born, a pleasant city,
Famous for oranges and women,?he
Who has not seen it will be much to pity,
So says the proverb, and I quite agree;
Of all the Spanish towns is none more pretty, 5
Cadiz perhaps, but that you soon may see.
Dear friend, it is an honour for my blog to have your comments. And thank you too much for let me know this piece of literature. Hope my mistakes writing in English don?t hurt your eyes.
Oooops! * when HE mentions