Cumbria marmalade festival extends global reach

Nearly 3,000 jars of marmalade were entered into the competition

Makers of marmalade from more than 40 countries have produced nearly 3,000 jars of it for an annual competition.

The 14th Marmalade Festival at Dalemain, near Penrith in Cumbria, attracted entries from Canada, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Malta and Mexico.

Overall "Double Gold" winner Beth Furnell, from Flintshire, Wales said her achievement was an "amazing thrill".

She won the "First Timers" category in 2014.

Other winners included Christina Ewing from Glasgow in the Octogenarian's Marmalade category, Reuben Kooperman from Australia with his "Man Made Marmalade" and Yasuyo Imamura from Japan in the International Marmalade category.

The homemade section has a number of awards categories

Mr Kooperman said marmalade was his "passion and first love in the world of preserves".

A regular entrant to competitions, he won silver in the "Any Citrus" category in 2010 and gold for his "Man Made" preserve in 2016.

"The Seville oranges I use are lovingly and organically grown at home by my wife Deborah," he said.

"Other citrus that I use, such as tangelos, limes, lemons and blood oranges, are grown in the gardens of friends.

"Virtually all the marmalade I make is made the day the fruit is picked."

Reuben Kooperman said his label - look closely - was his way of "being" at the festival

Ms Imamura said she learned about the awards from an English conversation teacher three years ago, at which point she had never made marmalade.

The competition's organisers say it has "long been wildly popular" in Japan and a sister competition is being launched in Yawatahama in May.

Awards founder Jane Hasell-McCosh said they were "so privileged in such polarising times to be part of something that truly unites people".

Many entrants used the traditional Seville oranges but supplemented them with a variety of other ingredients, such as ginger, chilli, passion fruit, pineapple, potato vodka, mango, sake and prosecco.

Entries are open to anyone and the winning recipe is sold at Fortnum & Mason.

The winning recipe is sold at Fortnum & Mason