From the lows of lockdown, you’ve transported us to the zesty heights of creativity, with your jars of beautifully homemade Seville orange marmalade. It’s judgement week for the Great Ilmington Marmalade Challenge! Wendy Larner, our resident expert in all things culinary, has been spooning and sorting, trying and tasting, ready for the big reveal on Friday. “We’ve had an extraordinary number of entries,” says Wendy, a local lass who returned to live in Ilmington 24 years ago. “I’ve got my work cut out. I wasn’t expecting so many!” Wendy, product development manager for the likes of Waitrose and M&S, Heinz and Yeo Valley, works with chefs to develop new desserts and bakery items for commercial sale. She’s also been a judge at the Ilmington Show for the past 15 years. “I’m looking for cleanliness, colour and set,” she says as she winds her way along the jam jars in this double-blind, Covid-careful process. “I look at texture of fruit and clarity of gel before I get to flavour. I don’t want any overt bitterness or burnt notes. No hard orange strips! I’m asking What’s pleasant to eat? Is it well set? Is it easy to spread?” Wendy and shop manager Michele are a little tearful as the tasting proceeds and the winner emerges. “It’s a really high standard and hard to judge,” Wendy says. “This is fabulous to see. I’d like to say to all entrants: having discovered or rediscovered your culinary skills, why not show them off at the village show?” The first winner of the Great Ilmington Marmalade Challenge will be presented with a bottle of Spirit of Ilmington fruit gin or brandy. Watch out for Friday’s announcement on this page and in store…
