Family Ties Connected by Hassaku Oranges

I grew up in Mie, a place rich in nature. My family home had a garden with vegetables and fruits. From February to March, the Hassaku orange trees are laden with fruit. The other day, I harvested a large amount of Hassaku from my family home.

Hassaku Marmalade

Even though we don't take care of them, they bear fruit on their own. Nature is amazing, isn't it? Since I picked so many, I shared about 100 of them with my eldest son, who is about to get married.

Then, a few days later, his fiancée actually made them into homemade "Hassaku Marmalade" for us. I immediately spread some on bread and took a bite, and it was incredibly delicious! The bitterness of the peel, the refreshing aroma, and the careful handiwork of the newlyweds slowly warmed my heart. Compared to store-bought marmalade, it tastes a million times better.

Then, perhaps inspired by that, my wife made me some "Hassaku Curd." This also had a rich flavor different from the marmalade and was incredibly delicious.

Which is better, "incredibly delicious" (meccha umai) or "super delicious" (mutcha umai)?

To be able to transform ingredients so deliciously—being able to cook is truly a wonderful talent. With two delicious homemade jars lined up, our breakfast table is wrapped in a happy aroma.

Now, as I was enjoying them, I suddenly wondered: what exactly is the difference between "marmalade," "curd," and "jam"? I'll make a note of it in my notebook as a reminder.

🍯 The Difference Between Jam, Marmalade, and Curd

• Jam
  Fruit pulp boiled down with sugar. It is thickened by the sweetness and acidity of the fruit itself, as well as the power of a component called "pectin" found in the fruit. It is a preserved food that can be called the king of fruits.
  

• Marmalade
  A type of jam, but its biggest feature is that it contains the peel (rind) of citrus fruits. As my daughter-in-law made this time, the slight bitterness of the Hassaku or orange peel becomes an exquisite accent, creating a deeper, more mature flavor.
  

• Curd
  Something completely different from jam or marmalade. In addition to fruit juice and sugar, it is made by using butter and eggs and boiling it down slowly, such as in a double boiler, until it thickens. As my wife made for me, it is characterized by a rich, custard-like depth and a smooth mouthfeel. Lemon curd is famous.

From the same Hassaku fruit, a refreshing marmalade utilizing the bitterness of the peel and a rich curd utilizing the richness of butter and eggs were created.

My new daughter-in-law who is becoming part of the family, and my wife who has been with me for many years. Thanks to their handiwork, this year's Hassaku have a special taste.

Preparing to make curd

Whenever we eat Hassaku, we usually divide the work of peeling them among the family. Hassaku peels are tough, and it is a task that takes quite a bit of time and effort. Taking the time to remove only the pulp from the thin membranes and putting it in a container in the refrigerator has become a treat after meals.

Now, usually, the pulp removed from the thin membranes has a lot of white fibrous material attached to it. It's not a problem to eat, so I usually eat it that way, but since that becomes a source of bitterness when making curd, it needs to be thoroughly removed.

It is an even more time-consuming task. The finished Hassaku is in the photo below.

Based on this, the curd making begins.

One benefit I learned this time is that when you remove the pulp this cleanly, it tastes much better even when eaten as is, with less bitterness. I had been cutting corners, so I thought it was unavoidable that it would be somewhat bitter.

How I learned about the curd

To my embarrassment, I only learned the word 'fruit curd' last year. I first encountered it when I was staying with friends at Shiki Farm on Osakikamijima, an island floating in the Seto Inland Sea.

I visited Osakikamijima twice in 2025. Through a casual connection, I got to know the couple who runs Shiki Farm and learned about the curd they make there.

Making marmalade and curd with Hassaku oranges this time felt like connecting scattered dots into a line, which made me feel happy.

The article about my visit to Osakikamijima is at the link below.