“Using hard to find fruits, Robert Lambert makes some of the most interesting marmalades in America.”
Mo Frechette, Zingerman's Mail Order
"Great Britain, take note: The Californian Robert Lambert has raised the bar
on marmalade, and instead of exporting your products to the U.S., you will
want to import his."
Karen Hochman, The Nibble
Read a review at “The Nibble” TheNibble.com
It was perhaps inevitable that I would at some point come to make marmalade, a meeting of the treasured jam-making memories of my childhood and the wealth of exotic citrus I have come to know in California. About a year ago I decided it was time. First I studied its lore and history, then read every recipe the internet, my books, my friends and colleagues could provide, then tested a few that sounded the best before bravely striking out on my own.
The basic method is that the fruit is cut and water added to soak for a time, then the mixture is boiled down before the sugar is added, then boiled down again till it reaches the setting point. What I found is that if I used a variety of the rare citrus fruits I've found, and if I replaced part of the water with a blend of compatible juices, I could spike the flavor profiles of my marmalades far beyond any others I'd ever had.
The results have garnered ecstatic responses from die-hard fans and new converts alike who are stunned by the explosion of complex flavors in the mouth. Marmalade should be a balance of sour, bitter and sweet; these have that but so much more! They showcase the exotic and rare--in some cases only a few trees exist--flavors of fruits propagated by growers and collectors who are passionate about preserving these wonders of nature.
All these marmalades are hand-crafted in small batches, as any good marmalade must be. Since the pectin that causes the jelly to set resides in the fruit's seeds as well as its pith, and many of the rare exotics I use are full of them, every seed must be located and picked out by hand as the fruit is hand-cut into its fine julienne before they are tied in a bag and added back to the fruit to cook. On the occasion when I must supplement this with more pectin than a given fruit provides, I use only the finest pure French citrus-derived pectin available.
Use these fine marmalades as usual, on toast and scones and English muffins, but also with cheese or in a meat glaze or marinade, with some soy sauce and mustard. Once you try them you'll find many ways to enjoy them, as I have.
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