BANISH SAD WITH SPRING, LIGHT AND ORANGES

by

Penny Stanway


The ever earlier dawn and ever later dusk are signs of sap rising. And I’m not just talking about plants. For we’re coming to the end of the dark months of the year, when one in five of us suffer from symptoms of light deficiency, and up to three per cent are disturbed enough to be dubbed as having winter SAD, meaning seasonal affective disorder. (I say ‘winter’ SAD as researchers have identified a summer type too, but that’s another story). Winter light deficiency symptoms happen because the low intensity of bright light affects our brain’s hypothalamus and also its body clock. And this can trigger hormone imbalance, disturb the way cells respond to the nerve-message carrier serotonin, and make us slow and sleepy, like dormice ready to hibernate. There are lots of other reasons for feeling tired, heavy or fed up in winter, among them a ‘warming’ but stodgy diet and lack of exercise due to adverse weather. And of course all the usual stressors and depressors can at worst lay us low at any time of year.
But as light levels rise, so too may your ‘sap’ or strength, both physical and mental. And not only might this make you ready to springclean, dig the garden or start something new, but it may well lift your spirit too. And that’s why I’m suggesting a sparkling blood-orange jelly for our soul-food recipe. For its fizz represents our newfound zest for life, its colour reminds us of our inner strength and energy, and its wobble restores our awareness that while whatever lies in store for us this spring might be disconbubulating, it could also be both a challenge and an opportunity.

Blood-orange jelly

Blood oranges offer up a sumptuous and richly ruby-coloured juice, but other oranges would be fine too. You could even use orange juice from a carton, but if so, it’ll contain more vitamin C if was packaged when freshly squeezed and not after being restored from a concentrate. (That reminds me. Why was the blonde staring at the orange-juice carton? ….. Because it said ‘concentrate’. It’s okay – I’m one too now!)

This recipe is enough for four, and you should make the jellies half a day before you want to eat them.

1 pint blood-orange juice, seived if necessary so it’s clear
1 pint champagne (Krug or Crystal if you must), sparkling wine (eg, Cava) or
perry, or fizzy lemonade
75g (3oz) caster sugar – though not if using lemonade as this is sweet enough
2 sachets (23.4g or a very scant 1 ounce) gelatine
8 thin slivers of orange peel, each roughly two inches long

First, cut the orange-peel slivers with a sharp knife, and store in clingfilm in the fridge. Now halve and squeeze the oranges, and pour their juice into a large mixing bowl.

Put two inches of water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour a cup of juice into a jug or bowl that easily fits in the saucepan. Add the sugar to the juice. Then put the bowl into the saucepan of water and let the sugar dissolve, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat. .Now sprinkle the gelatine evenly on the sweetened juice. Leave the bowl in the hot water until the gelatine dissolves; if you stir the juice, do it gently so you don’t swirl gelatine on to the sides of the bowl above the water, as it would quickly set there.

Pour the juice mixture into the champagne or other sparkling liquid, stirring well all the time. Then pour the liquid into four large wine glasses and refrigerate for several hours, until set. Decorate each jelly with two orange-peel slivers.