A Book, A Bear, and Some Boozy Marmalade

Bedtime books in this house run the gamut from Harry Potter and How to Know the Insects (with our oldest) to Sleeping Beauty and Ladybug Girl (with our youngest) and everything in between. Most nights, my husband and I have little choice in the matter and resign ourselves to reading whatever they select...even though we know there's often something much, much better juuuuuust over there, in the bookcase, if only........ And it is amazing sometimes how often they prefer to reread something instead of venturing into something new. Though I admit I'm not always excited to reread Snow White for the twentieth time, I admire the fervor with which they approach the reread.  They anticipate and delight in their favorite moments each night as though they were discovering them for the very first time (raised eyebrows, tensed muscles), and that's pretty interesting to observe. I wonder when people lose that ability. I mean, as adults, how often do we even get around to indulging in a reread at all? Ever?

Just last week I read a novel in which one of the main characters lovingly reread Wuthering Heights every year, and I felt a little twinge of envy (not that Wuthering Heights would be my first choice, but still). What revelations might emerge only after that second or third time through? It's all got me thinking once again that maybe I could take a few lessons from these kids.

There are however happy nights when they peruse the bookshelf and those fingertips reach for a book we know and love well. This happened the other night when our daughter reached for Paddington Bear "from Darkest Peru" and I felt an ear to ear grin coming on. We read about Paddington's adventures with the Brown family- eating jam cake, getting all sticky, running a bath, and being treated to marmalade by Mrs. Bird, the housekeeper. At the end, Paddington drifted off to sleep in a chair, our daughter thought he was very cute and silly, and I started daydreaming about that marmalade.

Maramalade is my mom's favorite. Having planned to make her some, I remembered recently seeing an interesting recipe for one made with whiskey in The River Cottage Preserves Handbook (http://www.amazon.com/River-Cottage-Preserves-Handbook/dp/158008172X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314993309&sr=8-1 ). Whiskey marmalade- I loved the idea! So, the preparations began, and a day later, we've got lots of delicious, boozy marmalade around here, and we're wanting more of those nostalgic Paddington books. In the meantime, we're having fun playing Marmalade Mayhem on http://www.paddingtonbear.com/marmalademayhem.html# catching falling jars of marmalade, plates, and jammy sandwiches.

                                                         Soaking the orange peels overnight.

                                                                          Into the jars.

                                                                         Sampling.

                                                                     Inspiration.