passion4food4fashion

When I was in Pistoia, my lovely friend Michela took me to a fabulous sweet shop called Le Golosita di Pratesi Marilena. It sells all kinds of delicious things to eat and drink, including chocolates by Roberto Catinari, a famous son of Pistoia.

They have a small supply of marmalade made by cloistered nuns. It is made from wild oranges that grow inside the cloister. The oranges are plucked, washed and grated one by one to eliminate the part of the skin from which essential oil is made.

The oranges are cut in half and the seeds taken out. Pectin is made from these and later added to the marmalade to thicken it. The halved oranges are kept in water for 3 days, changing the water 3 times a day. At the end if the third day they are boiled for 45 minutes. They are drained and rinsed with cold…