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Escape
A
s every Peruvian bear
knows, it’s wise to keep a
marmalade sandwich under
o n e ’ s h a t i n c a s e o f
an emergency.
And Paddington couldn’t imagine a
more convivial place than Dalemain
House in Cumbria, just three miles off the
M6 near Penrith. saturday, March 14 sees
A TOAST TO MARMALADE
Delightful: Dalemain House in Cumbria and, inset, awards host Jane Hasell-McCosh
Like it for breakfast?
This gloriously
eccentric festival is
jam-packed with the
tastiest of spreads
t h e 1 5 t h a n n u a l M a r m a l a d e
Awards take place here.
It’s hosted by Jane Hasell-
McCosh, whose family has owned
this delightful country estate for
more than 300 years.
T h e a w a r d s c e r e m o n y w a s
founded in the dark days of 2005,
when the impact of foot and
mouth disease created an urgent
need for new sources of income.
Hasell-McCosh set out to raise
spirits at a tough time. Paddington
experienced some setbacks too,
so he would be thrilled to know
t h a t t o d a y t h e c o m p e t i t i o n
receives more than 3,000 entries,
with marmalade flowing in from
all over the world.
Indeed, so successful has the
event become that it has grown
into a weekend-long festival
featuring presentations, focus
sessions and activities (a turn on
the juicing bicycle, anyone?).
It has also seeded an entirelyseparate marmalade festival in
yawatahama, Japan. That city
happens to be home to Miyuki
Kokubu, a former Marmalade
Awards Gold star winner.
Miyuki began making preserves
when she realised that she needed
to do something with all the fruit
she had left over from her citrus
aromatherapy oil creations. she
will be at Dalemain’s festival this
month to tell the tale.
The marmalade entries arearranged in the state rooms, and,
after the winners of categories
including ‘Dark and Chunky
Marmalade’ and ‘Octogenarians
and Upwards Marmalade’ are
announced, the top -rated jars
form a ‘Marmalade Altar’.
Previous winners have been
emboldened to try unusual things.
Blanka Milfait from the Czech
republic, who won the coveted
Double Gold in 2013, was inspired
to go on a marmalade expeditionin her campervan. she travelled
more than 6,000 miles, visiting
over 40 countries from Gibraltar
to Iceland. she is also returning to
Dalemain, to recount her journey.
Neat, on toast, in cakes, in ice
cream, in gin, or even with pork
and lamb meatballs as a lemon
m a r m a l a d e c r e a m s a u c e —
however you take it, Dalemain will
have it covered.
And if, like a certain bear, you
need to sleep it off, Jane Hasell-
M c C o s h r e c o m m e n d s t h e
Ullswater Association for bed and
breakfast options in the area.
That way, you can return early
on the sunday and bag the best
seat for the live judging of the
deadly serious MarmalAshes —
the england versus Australia
marmalade contest.
Just be sure to let Aunt Lucy
know that one didn’t over-indulge
and get indigestion. Of course, a
wise bear would never let such a
thing happen...DANIEL PEMBREY
TRAvEL F AcTs
TickeTs to the Dalemain
Marmalade Festival cost from
£5.50 at dalemain.com/
marmalade-festival. B&B
doubles at sharrow Bay
(sharrowbay.co.uk) from £185.
Find more information about
nearby accommodation at
ullswater.com.(^) Daily Mail, Wednesday, March 4, 2020