Today, marmalade refers to a kind of jelly containing the fruit and rind of many kinds of fruits, but originally, around 400 years ago, the first kind of marmalade was made from what fruit that resembles a hard yellow apple?

While today we associate marmalade with the tangy taste of citrus, its origins lie with a different, more ancient fruit. The word "marmalade" itself provides the biggest clue, as it derives from the Portuguese "marmelada," which specifically refers to a thick, sliceable paste made from the "marmelo," their word for this particular fruit. This fragrant, lumpy yellow fruit is incredibly hard and astringent when raw, making it largely inedible.

When cooked for a long time with sugar and water, however, a kind of magic happens. The fruit's flesh softens, turns a beautiful deep pink or reddish-brown, and releases a wonderful floral aroma. Because it is naturally rich in pectin, the mixture sets into a very firm, jelly-like confection that can be cut into squares. This original preserve was popular in Spain and Portugal for centuries before the British began applying the same name and general technique to their beloved bitter Seville oranges in the 17th century, eventually changing the popular definition of marmalade forever.