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03/31/2011 National Oranges and Lemons Day St. Clement’s Lemon and Orange Squash

Source of Recipe

Channel 4


Recipe Introduction

Today is the feast day of St.Clement, the patron saint of blacksmiths and of the Worshipful Company of Bakers, and main star of the nursery rhyme and children’s game of “Oranges and Lemons”. The rhyme ostensibly refers to the ringing bells of a number of churches in the City of London, and there are two contenders for the “St Clement’s” – St. Clement Danes (in The Strand) and St Clement Eastcheap (near London Bridge). There are many interpretations of the possible symbolism and meaning of the rhyme, but no convincing historic associations between either of these churches and citrus fruit. It was deemed a good enough connection however for the small seedless cross between an orange and a tangerine to be named a Clementine. Tenuous connection or not, the nursery rhyme itself is now the connection, so if we need an excuse to eat oranges and lemons, this is it. Which reminds me to ask (those of you on the other side of the ‘other’ pond) who is it that decides on these strange celebratory days with names such as Creamy Mashed Potato Day and Salad of Wild Rice with Pomegranate Seeds Day? Has anyone declared today officially Oranges and Lemons Day? There is another food association with St Clement in addition to bread and citrus. A “Wayz-Goose” was often held on or around St Clement’s day: this does not mean that everyone got to cuddle a bird, the phrase was used more as we would refer to a Bean Feast, or an Annual Knees-Up – specifically one provided by an employer at the beginning of winter. No doubt goose was often served, for at this time of the year the remaining animals which were not required for breeding and could not be over-wintered would be slaughtered. For journeyman printers, the giving of the Wayz-Goose indicated that their employer would then allow them to work by candlelight (the days been short and dim by this time of year in the Northern hemisphere.) The Old Foodie

List of Ingredients

HOME COOKIN’ 03/31/2011 National Oranges and Lemons Day St. Clement’s Lemon and Orange Squash



St. Clement’s Lemon and Orange Squash


1kg sugar
1l water
Zest of 3 or 4 oranges
Zest of 3 or 4 lemons
500ml orange juice (you'll need about 10 oranges)
50mml lemon juice (you'll need about 10 lemons)




Recipe

1. Dissolve the sugar in water over a low heat. Add the lemon and orange zest and bring to the boil, simmering the mixture until it becomes a syrup.

2. Add the lemon and orange juice the turn up heat and bringing the mixture almost to boiling point but not quite.

3. Sieve the mixture and pour the hot squash into sealable bottles.

4. Serve your squash diluted with water.