h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

in 1985 i was with my parents in dharam sala my father was police chief we used to have oranges by the baskets one foriegner came and boiled all the oranges steamed them in a presure cooker and added sugar to the pipi pith flesh and juice strips of skin only that and it jelled beautifully

Ah! Yes, that sounds like British type marmalade. But the name comes from the quince, a fruit that is a sort of early pear or apple.

I have a vague memory of an article written about the origins of Marmalade referring to the importing of the Portuguese quinces to make the paste known as marmelada(also known as membrillo in Spain and excellent with Manchego cheese) to Scotland. On one occasion a shipment of sour oranges was mistaken for quinces and the worthy Mrs Keillor of Dundee, rather than waste the fruit, cooked them up in much the same way as marmelada was made and the result was the Marmalade we know today.