Tvivelaktigt råd

I got the blues thinking of the future, 

so I left off and made some marmalade. 

It’s amazing how it cheers one up 

to shred oranges and scrub the floor. 

                                                         D.H. Lawrence

Jag ännu inte lyckats ta mig igenom en hel bok av David Herbert, och citatet ovan ger jag inte mycket för — undrar om han någonsin skurade ett golv, eller stod och skar apelsinskal, till händer, rygg och fötter värkte.

Det är inte sannolikt att du blir mindre trött av följa följande recept — men du kan ju alltid prova:

To preserve Seville-Oranges Liquid.

Take the best Seville-Oranges, and pare them very neatly, put them into Salt and Water for about two Hours; then boil them very tender till a Pin will easily go into them; then drain them well from the Water, and put them into your preserving Pan, putting as much clarified Sugar to them as will cover them, laying some Trencher or Plate on them to keep them down; then set them over a Fire, and by Degrees heat them till they boil; then let them have a quick boil till the Sugar comes all over them in a Froth; then set them by till next Day, when you must drain the Syrup from them, and boil it till it becomes very smooth, adding some more clarified Sugar; put it upon the Oranges, and give them a Boil, then set them by till next[Pg 8] Day, when you must do as the Day before. The fourth Day drain them and strain your Syrup through a Bag, and boil it till it becomes very smooth; then take some other clarified Sugar, boil it till it blows very strong, and take some Jelly of Pippins drawn from the Pippins, as I shall immediately express, with the Juice of some other Oranges: As for Example, if you have six Oranges, after they are preserved as above directed, take two Pounds of clarified Sugar, boil it to blow very strong; then one Pint and half of Pippin Jelly, and the Juice of four or five Oranges, boil all together; then put in the Syrup that has been strained and boiled to be very smooth, and give all a Boil; then put your Oranges into your Pots or Glasses, and fill them up with the above made Jelly; when cold cover them, and set them by for Use.

Note, You must be sure in all your Boilings to clear away the Scum, otherwise you will endanger their Working: And if you find they will swim above your Jelly, you must bind them down with a Sprig of a clean Whisk.

ur The Art of Confectionary, by Edward Lambert, från 1761