Mónica Joyce Moniz on the origins of marmalade. Plus letters from Tony Batcup and Mark de Brunner
As a Portuguese-British citizen, I feel it is my duty to add to your explainer article (Keir Starmalade, anyone? Will marmalade really have to be rebranded in UK?, 4 April) and explain where the word marmalade originated from. Marmalade comes from the fruit marmelo (quince). And marmalade was and is quince jam in Portugal. This jam began to be exported to England at the end of the 15th century. Only in the 17th century did the English start to apply the word marmalade to orange jam. As with many quintessential British things like tea, the English adopted it and made it their own. I like this story because my two countries are represented. Mónica Joyce Moniz Wyton, Cambridgeshire
• Your article about the alleged rebranding of marmalade made me smile – it has always been incorrectly named. As it comes from Citrus x aurantium, and not Citrus x sinensis, it should be known as bitter orange marmalade – perhaps the EU and the UK can save the bitter talk for other more important differences? Tony Batcup Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
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