Helen Greaves’ marmalade has won two gongs at the Original World Marmalade Awards in the UK. Photo: Mats Van Vliet
IT sounds more like a story from a Paddington Bear book, but two jars of marmalade from Cooktown have travelled the world through a couple of former local residents living in Portugal and somehow ended up in a UK competition.
What’s more – they wowed the judges!
Cooktown’s Helen Greaves, whose popular jams, preserves and relishes fly off the shelves at her stall at the weekly Saturday markets, was talked into entering the competition by former Cooktowner Ali Ward, who now lives in Portugal.
“She also makes and sells preserves at her local markets in Portugal and the UK and we swap recipes,” Ms Greaves said.
“When Gary and Sue Hall (also ex-Cooktowners) were visiting Ali in Portugal last year I sent a couple of jars of marmalade with them.”
From Portugal, the Cooktown conserves went to England with Ms Ward, whose mum Pat entered them in the World’s Original Marmalade Awards.
“The awards are to raise money for hospice care, and you can choose what hospice to donate to worldwide and show your donation receipt as the entry fee,” Ms Greaves said.
“I thought that was nice.”
Ms Greaves’ kumquat and orange marmalade were entered in the hotly-contested Any Citrus Marmalade category, and her lime and rosella marmalade went into the Gardeners Marmalade section.
The rosellas that go into Ms Greaves’ popular lime and rosella marmalade.
“I did put a note in regarding what rosellas are, a native Australian hibiscus, and I bet they were relieved not to see parrot feathers in the jar,” she joked.
The awards were held in April and Ms Greaves received two certificates all the way from the UK – her kumquat marmalade had a podium finish, nabbing bronze, and the rosella marmalade received a certificate of merit.
“I’m chuffed I got a mention at all, especially in the Any Citrus category,” she said.
“If anyone would like to try my award-winning marmalade, pop on down to the Cooktown markets and check out my stall and all the other great local stalls.
“All the fruit in my award winners was grown in the Endeavour Valley from my neighbour’s gardens and mine.
“The rosella bushes are just blooming again now, and anyone with kumquats or Seville oranges, let me know!”
