Photo credit: solrac_gi_2nd from morguefile.com
Amateur and commercial marmalade lovers from across the globe are being encouraged to enter their own marmalade in the prestigious marmalade contest – The World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival.
The 2011 World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival will take place at the historic Dalemain Mansion, in the Lake District, UK on February 12th and 13th 2011. Entries from every type of marmalade maker are welcomed with categories catering for families, serious artisan and commercial producers, B&B owners and even members of the armed forces.
Over 800 entries, from all over the country and even some from as far as Australia were received in 2010.The 2011 Artisan Competition will reward the Double Gold winner with the unique opportunity to have their marmalade sold at Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly, London. .
Three classes are available to Artisan producers: Seville (thick, medium and fine cut), Any Citrus (lemon, lime, sweet orange, blood orange, pomelo, grapefruit, kumquat, wild orange, tangerine and Clementine) and Marmalade with interesting additions (could include alcohol, non-citrus fruits, ginger, bergamot, lavender and basil). Artisan and commercial entries will all be judged according to appearance (set), taste (flavour and finish), texture and aroma. All must have been produced by an open pan method.
For Bed & Breakfast and Hotel owners, a new competition has been created supported by Alastair Sawday’s and Farm Stay to enter their home-made marmalade and have it judged. The top scores will then be awarded with Bronze, Silver and Gold awards and will feature on the marmalade website.
For Amateurs the categories for 2011 are: Thin Cut Seville orange; Any Citrus; Dark & Chunky; Family Affair; Man-Made; Clergy; Peers & Political; Military; Merry Marmalade (with alcohol); International and Inventive. Amateur entrants will each receive a scorecard showing marks for taste, colour and set and the top marks will be awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold certificate. Best in Show receives a silver gilt cup presented by the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers. Each category winner also gets a special prize.
Entries for the Artisan, Bed & Breakfast/Hotel and Amateur competitions must be received by February 6, 2011..Judging for the amateur categories at The World’s Original Marmalade Festival (February 12th and 13th, 2011) will be undertaken by a prestigious panel of judges including preserving expert and author Pam Corbin, Tiptree managing director Walter Scott and Dan Lepard, award-winning baker and Guardian food writer who will taste the hundreds of expected entries.
The festival itself will also include: a marmalade service, a keynote lecture by famous food historian, Ivan Day, the presence of the world’s most famous marmalade lover, Paddington Bear, and delicious marmalade tasting. For more information visit www.marmaladeawards.com/section/festival/
Further entry details including a downloadable entry form, category criteria, submission details and entry fees can be found by visiting: www.marmaladeawards.com. All amateur entry fees will be donated to charity. The 2011 beneficiaries are Hospice at Home and Action Medical Research