"Every preserve Tiptree makes has a generosity to it. There's always lots of fruit, a slightly tart and complex flavour, and the set of their marmalade is always delicate"
Dan Lepard, Guardian food writer, and one the festival's patrons
On crisp January mornings the refreshing aroma of simmering citrus fruit greets you on arrival at Wilkin & Sons in the village of Tiptree, Essex. Whole fresh oranges from the Seville area of Spain, lemons from Cyprus, limes and grapefruit are delivered to Tiptree for the marmalade season..
“It’s all about taste” has been the motto of Wilkin & Sons for generations and each batch of marmalade is still checked for taste, for the set and the colour to ensure continuity and good flavour. Even in a busy factory the fruit is given time to simmer gently and then cooked in small batches to ensure the flavour is not compromised. Citrus fruit and sugar, the basic ingredients of marmalade, sometimes need additional pectin for certain jelly-based recipes.
The 17 varieties of marmalade made at Tiptree suit most consumers’ tastes: the light jelly based preserves are child friendly, for those who enjoy the whole fruit flavour they may select a medium cut and people who like the strong mature flavour will choose the double cooked Tawny Marmalade.
Tradition and heritage can be found in the recipes and in the people at Tiptree where Arthur Charles Wilkin started making fine preserves in 1885. The current chairman Peter Wilkin is the great grandson of the founder and still takes an active interest in the company. Many people in the factory have continued the tradition of family members working within one company with mothers, sons and aunts sorting fruit, managing the boiling pans or on the finishing lines, tasks their parents did some years before.
When the marmalade season ends, Lemon Curd, Sauces and Christmas Puddings are made, keeping everyone occupied until the start of the fresh fruit season. From June to October fruits from the Tiptree farms are harvested for the fresh fruit market and the jam factory: strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, stone fruit, medlars, quince and mulberries.
Visit www.tiptree.com for a full history, product list, FAQ and recipe tips.
