White frost is coated all around outside this morning and the sun is hidden behind a thick blanket of grey cloud. As I stand waiting for the kettle to boil for my first coffee of the morning, I can feel the chill of the frost seep into my toes working its way up to my bones. Spring seems a long way off. The day may look a little bleak and cold but sitting just a yard away on my kitchen counter is a bowl of beautiful Seville oranges, thick wrinkled orange globes. These pithy, pippy globes of sunshine will, when cut open and placed into a preserving pan, fill the whole house with a sweet citrus perfume reminding me of summers past. Sadly their beautiful colour and perfume disguises their bitter tasting fruit and their abundance of pips lend themselves to making wonderful pectin.
Marmalade making has begun to enjoy a come back and the World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival is helping. Each year the numbers of entries grow. I have already posted my gold winning recipe here.
Marmalade is not the only use of the Seville orange. They can also be used to make a unusual and beautiful liqueur. The method is very similar to that used for sloe gin but with a much longer infuse – in fact a three year infuse.
Three years ago I used two different gins to see if there was a difference in the colour and taste. When I have made sloe gin I have noticed that different brands of gin do alter the finished taste. With the Sevilles I made two jars, one with Gordon’s gin and one with Beefeater s gin. Even after one year I could see there is a difference in the colour.
Colour after 3 years and with peel removed.
The first year I didn’t touch the Seville gin and left it to infuse uninterrupted, the second year I needed to see what was happening so I sampled a little. I found that it gave off a beautiful citrus perfume, the taste was certainly infused with the Seville orange flavour but it still had that bitter taste that the oranges have so I added another 60gms of sugar. Again shaking daily until the sugar had dissolved and then left undisturbed.
As with making sloe gin I have found over the years that the recipe is so simple and yet the smallest of changes can make a big difference. I always put a label on the jar with the date, type of gin used and anything else that is useful such as any additions. I also keep a notebook (some say I have too much time on my hands, but they also like to drink the finished product!).
As this is solely for my own consumption I can add as much sugar during the process to suit my own tastes. Remember you can add but you can’t take away so if you do add any more sugar better to add a little at a time and test. Once made and bottled you will find if you can keep it over a year the taste does change into a more mellow finish.
Seville Orange Gin
Ingredients
4/5 Seville oranges
1 litre gin
250g granulated sugar – I added a further 60gms after the first year.
A couple of cloves
Method
Peel the oranges. I find using a potato peeler works for me best as you don’t want the pith.
Place the orange peel, gin, sugar and cloves if using into a clean screw top jar, Kilner jars are good for this. Secure the jar tightly and shake. Place into a dry, dark cupboard, shaking daily until the sugar has dissolved. Leave for three years.
N.B. For me I much prefer a sweeter taste and would add even more sugar than listed above. As also noted above the brand of gin makes a big difference to the finished taste.
Maria Dernikos 
What a good idea to do tasting and variation notes with the sloe gin. I’ll certainly do that in future. And I’m looking forward to putting some Seville orange gin down. That’s an even better idea!
The last time I had sloe gin, a friend brought a bottle over when coming to dinner. By the time we had finished the dessert, we thought it a good idea to attack the gin. A big mistake. Delicious, but a big mistake.
Sloe gin is a iron fist in a velvet glove! Seville orange gin does not have that same velvet taste.
Wow. This is so cool. You really have the best recipes and write so eloquently. Your blog is really a joy to read. I would love to try some of this.
Amanda you are so kind. Your own site is a joy too. Seville gin does not have the sweet qualities that Sloe gin has. It is an entirely different flavour. Worth having a go at but don’t make a whole vat! See if you like it first.
I don’t drink alcohol. I stopped by, just to say ‘hello’. ♡ 😀
Thank you Fae. x
Oh how beautiful Maria. I can practically taste this from your description. Oh and – “The pithy pippy globes of sunshine…” – delightful!
Spring is a long way off here too. We are in a deep-freeze and bedded down in snow. I’m longing to be warmed by the sun. I bet your gin tastes of sunshine.
Everything at the moment is dull, grey and wet, wet, wet, wet. Did I mention it is wet? So those oranges are a wonderful cheerful happy colour nestling in the fruit bowl. The gin tastes of Seville oranges and has a warming effect! but my favourite has to be the Sloe gin.
Maria,
As always you are full of surprises! You make your own gin? I don’t drink any kind of liqueur but I’m sure Stefano would love to taste a glass of that gorgeous looking liquid.
Spring is a long way off here too. My father decided to run away after two weeks to get back to his mild weather Rome and my mother can’t wait too leave too! I would leave too if I could. I hate winters!!!
Francesca, if I made my own gin I would be typing this from my cell!!! It is made with a brand of gin as the base. I would love Stefano to taste it and would wonder what his opinion would be, I am not a big drinker of liqueurs and whilst I like the taste of Sloe gin this one has me struggling. The colour and smell is delicious but the taste is not sweet it has a distinct Seville orange taste to it.
Your mother loves you dearly to stay on and brave the bitter weather. Nice to have some extra time with her no doubt? Will your father cope back in Rome without his wife?
My father is a very traditional man who is used to be constantly attended to. However, he loves me more than anything and he knows how hard can be for me not to have any family member around to help me out so he is happy when my mom is with me. There is nothing better than playing the daughter role. It’s a blessing!
Even though I don’t drink I’d still be keen on a sip – or two – of this gin. As I used to like G&T’s, years ago. And I’ve never had sloe gin before.
Oh, and must have a nosy at your recipe for marmalade. I doubt if I’ll find Seville oranges. Still, I’m heading off to the superstore tomorrow. If it’s not raining! So I’ll have a look for something suitable whilst I’m there.
I think that Seville orange growers cannot believe their luck in the turn in interest! Sloe gin is a much sweeter animal than this Seville gin. I am a snowball type of gal so I think I will be experimenting on turning this gin into a base for a sweet cocktail!!
Oh, that must be a wonderful gin Maria! Seville oranges have just arrived here in Montreal and have been wondering what to do with them. Perhaps I shall have a go at your marmalade. 🙂
I didn’t like marmalade before I started making it! The smell it fills the house with is wonderful.
Wow. A three year infusion??? Holy cow, I tell you, Maria: you could be a winemaker – you certainly know the meaning of patience! 😉
I would love to taste your liqueur, which in some way in my head is reminiscent of Cointreau. I have to say that pure gin does not top the chart of my personal favorite spirits: my taste is generally more attuned to Vodka, good Scotch and Rum, but with your interesting flavor addition I would certainly be keen on giving it a go! Please save a sip or two for me for when, sooner or later, we will have an opportunity to meet 😉
Now Stefano you have said something very interesting. Those who have tasted it have said exactly that, it reminds them of Cointreau! I am not a gin fan and this is not a liqueur that I would put at the top of my list. Only a couple of inches have been drunk from the bottle the rest I am saving for your and Francesca’s visit!