Value for Money

Conor Pope reviews marmalade

Chivers Olde English Marmalade €1.72 for 454g  €3.79 per kg

Highs: This "olde English" marmalade is fresh-tasting and tangy and has a surprisingly lingering (but not unpleasant) aftertaste, which might be attributed to the somewhat bitter peel. It is almost universally available, is a good deal cheaper than most of the competition and is made without recourse to artificial colours or preservatives.

Lows: "Olde English"? Hardly - it actually comes from Coolock. The packaging makes much of the fact that this marmalade is fat-free, as if it was good for you, which seems like a bold claim for something made with 66 per cent sugar. The orange bits are big and lumpy and will not appeal to all tastes. The marmalade is thick and coarse and only goes evenly onto your toast with some persuasion.

Verdict: Good value, good taste.

Star rating: ****

Fruitfield Marmalade Premium Seville Orange €2.29 for 340g  €6.73 per kg

Highs: This is clearly intended to be a fairly high-end product (although it is nowhere near as posh as some of the other brands reviewed). It is light in colour and texture and spreads handily enough. The thin slices of peel add a subtle crunch to the mix and the lower than average sugar content might make it marginally more attractive to the weight-conscious. It is fine, if a little uninspired, and should prove to be fairly widely available.

Lows: Despite having a smaller amount of sugar than some of the others, it tastes very, very sweet. It is also excessively expensive and, while it might aim to be a premium product, it doesn't really taste like it.

Verdict: Disappointingly drab.

Star rating: **

Elizabeth Tighe Superior Orange Marmalade €3.85 for 340g  €11.32 per kg

Highs: Hand-made in Co Carlow, this is undoubtedly a good quality product and one which is made all the better for the purity of its ingredient list, which contains nothing more than oranges, lemons, water and sugar. Bought in Superquinn, it looks pleasingly artisan and has a jelly-like consistency which makes it very easy to spread. Almost half of every jar is fruit and it has a lower sugar content than much of the competition. It is still sweet enough for the most committed sugar addict, though.

Lows: While lemons are listed amongst the ingredients, they were hard to detect. It might be too sweet for some tastes and too expensive for some wallets. It also might be hard to track down.

Verdict: Pure and pricey.

Star rating: ***

Spar Coarse Cut Marmalade €1.49 for 454g €3.28 per kg

Highs: This is very cheap, easy to find at all hours and it tastes pretty good. It has a nice sharp tang to it and has a surprisingly orangey flavour. It is made with very large pieces of peel which taste pretty good - if you like peel, of course. If you're not a fan of peel on your toast, then fret not because the chunks of peel are so massive and so few and far between that they are pretty easy to avoid.

Lows: It has a very thick and gelatinous texture, and spreading it on your morning toast can be something of a chore. It is the most processed of the marmalades tried and the list of ingredients - with its handful of artificial colours and preservatives - is some way from being wholesome.

Verdict: Very cheap and orangey.

Star rating: ****

Stonewall Kitchen Tangerine Marmalade €5.99 for 368g  €16.27 per kg

Highs: Made with tangerines and raw sugar cane, this award-winning marmalade, sourced in Avoca but hailing from New England, is bursting with unusual flavours and tastes very good indeed. The ingredient list is impressively sparse and there is an odd but pleasant hint of smokiness to it. It is nicely textured, easy to spread and balances the sweet and the citrus beautifully. The ample peel is very thinly sliced and has a gentle flavour.

Lows: There is a lot of peel to contend with, however. While it is undeniably good, you'd have to wonder if it's worth it. At €5.99 a jar it is almost five times the price of the cheapest brand tried, but is almost certainly not five times nicer.

Verdict: Nice but at a cost.

Star rating: ***