RRRoll up roll up, come get your Marmalade goodies here…..
If you’ve been around resort or skiing with us this last few years you’ll know we have a wee range in hoodies for you the good people to enjoy wearing.
Here’s a peak at what we have this year…
The “Hello”
The “Tripler”
The “Zipper”
The Truckers
Send an email to Derek@skimarmalade.com for more information or any purchases. All the hoodies are a fine and respectable £40 and the caps £10. And we’ll go halves on any postage and packaging that’s due because we’re nice like that.
The caps are one size fits all and the hoodies are unisex and sized Small, Medium, Large and X-Large. We even have a couple of double Xl’s up our sleeves.
Hurry now though as they are going fast..
Marmalade now made in association with Ride Snowboards
Big thanks to Ride for kitting us up with a couple boards for the winter. We are on two separate boards – the DH2 and the Antic.
This is what they say…
The DH2
Habit Forming without the hook.
Satisfying the constant search for a bigger high, the 2012 Ride DH2 snowboard has got your fix. Built with our new Hybrid Twin shape for a hook-free Ride, it is designed to slay features and stomp big airs. This deck also features micro-rocker in the tip and tail to encourage a playful, surfy feel, and a level micro-camber zone between the feet to maintain snap and amplify the pop factor. Complete with the key ingredients that keep you coming back for more, this versatile Hybrid Twin snowboard includes Pop Rods® 2.0 for a boost of pop, lightweight Membrain™ top sheet and smooth riding 85A Slimewalls®.
Antic snowboard
Epitome of All Around Performance
Delivering versatility for everything the mountain has to offer, the 2012 Ride Antic snowboard features Ride’s LowPro™ shape with playful LowRize™ rocker in the nose and the grippy stability of ProRize™ in the tail. Complete with 90A Slimewalls®, Carbon Array 3™ and Fusion 4000 base™, this directional Ride snowboard will take you from peak to park, with a responsive feel that won’t let you down.
We say. Awesome. Both boards are brilliant. The DH2 is a wicked little jib stick for playing down the mountains – perfect for butters, presses and Ollie nollie tactics.
Then the Antic does what it says on the tin – an all round all mountain performer – just like us!
If you get a chance get a Ride snowboard under your feet then you should. You won’t be sorry.
After work, or before work, or on a rare day off the team from Marmalade Ski School in Meribel can regularly be found up to high jinks in and around the 3 Valleys and Meribel. We try to document some of these japes and then in a vain effort to make us look cool to the youth of today we bash it together into a production that the legendary Monsieur Spielberg might appreciate.
The feedback from ourselves is definitely tht some better video cameras are required but the main ingredients of off-piste, powder skiing, good times and major fun are all in there. Plus some dodgy tunes.
Here’s a couple we made earlier…
Let’s set the scene….. you are in the Alps (or anywhere that has the potential for a chill in the air)….. snow might be falling as you look out the window (it is)….. it’s breakfast time (usually happens at least once a day)….. what might you have that is as equally nutritious, filling, good for you as it is damn tasty?
Look no further
Check out the Porridge Lady for a plethora of cracking recipes for the timeless classic breakfast dish. Here she is in an inspiring number which combines two of the greatest classic breakfast items – Marmalade and Porridge. Naturally we approve wholeheartedly with this dish and believe everyone should dine on it now. Go do it. Even if you’re not in the alps with snow falling all around.
Cooking with Marmalade? – Time for Marmalade Porridge thanks to the Porridge Lady (who also gives a fine brief insight into the origin of marmalade ) Read on…….
Marmelo Marmalade Porridge
Prelude
I absolutely love marmalade, a favourite since childhood when I was transfixed with stories of Paddington Bear and his famous marmalade sandwiches. I also know that I’m not alone, since finding out about the Marmalade Festival held every year in Cumbria!
Whilst I’ve always loved marmalade, I’ve always eaten Porridge for breakfast. Since it’s a traditional on-toast breakfast favourite I’ve always felt like I miss out on optimum marmalade eating opportunities. That is until recently when I had eureka moment, to put it on my Porridge!
The recipe is named ‘Marmelo Marmalade’ as a nod to the origins of marmalade. Dating back to the Middle Ages the dish of marmalade was originally made from imported Portuguese Quinces or ‘marmelo’, hence the name! However as time passed and import duties rose marmalade became made from Seville oranges which were cheaper to import.
In keeping with the historic marmalade whilst keeping to a classic flavour, I use an English quince and Seville orange marmalade for the recipe. I think Marmalade Porridge works well, two breakfast classics together, and I hope you do too. In the style of marmalade this Porridge has a slight bitter flavour. However if you prefer yours a bit sweeter I recommend drizzling a nice big spoonful of golden syrup over your Porridge.
- Serves Two
- Cooking and preparation time – 24 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup of Mornflake coarse Oatmeal
2 cups of water
Pinch of sea salt (1/4 teaspoon)
2 generous tablespoons of marmalade*
Orange and Lemon zest**
Optional – tablespoon of golden syrup
* You can use another type of marmalade; just make sure it’s full of fruit for lots of flavour.
** Use unwaxed oranges and lemons and preferably organic. As you are eating the peel of the fruit it is important to know that it has not been treated with pesticides.
Method
Place boiling water into the base saucepan of a Porringer or Bain Marie.
In the top saucepan place the oatmeal and the cups of water and stir thoroughly.
Bring the water in the base saucepan back to the boil and then reduce the heat slightly, but keeping it high.
Add and stir in the salt.
Continue to stir regularly.
Whilst the oatmeal is cooking wash the orange and lemon thoroughly.
With a fine grater or zester take the zest from the orange and lemon being careful not to remove the pith.
Set this aside.
Continue to cook the oatmeal until it reaches a nice thick consistency. This will take between 20-22 minutes.
Once cooked remove from the heat and set aside for 1-2 minutes, allowing the oatmeal to turn into a Porridge with a nice creamy consistency.
Spoon the Porridge into bowls.
Into each bowl swirl a generous table spoonful of marmalade.
Sprinkle a little orange and lemon zest over the top.
Pour a spoonful of golden syrup over the top if you like a bit more sweetness.
Serve and eat the Porridge hot.
We asked for her for any secrets to make it truly a belting brekkie, she said to make sure you use home made marmalade. Hmmm we thought, what about using a recent present we were given? Might give it a bit of a kick?
What do you think??
This week saw the return of the youths!
Josh and Toby Price have been giving Nick the run around all over these mountains of ours. Conditions have been great all week and they took the opportunity to hit the couloirs. Nice skiing boys – make sure you come back and see us soon.
If you’ve got kids that have been through the normal ski school system but still need that little bit of guidance and supervision then have a look at the Marmalade Youths. These weeks are specifically for kids who can already ski well down most of mountain. From that point we’ll show them the technique and control to make the most of the steep couloirs, the bumps, the snow park, the forests, the fast early morning groomed runs and anything else which makes for good skiing.
Don’t take our word for it though – just ask Josh or Toby
This weekend was the first time in over a decade we found ourselves faced with the chance to fulfill a life long dream of ours. For years we have heard clients and friends telling us about their experiences with heli-skiing but never before found ourselves with the right ingredients to make it happen – good snow, good weather and a day off all together. Now we can quite happily say that we can no longer make that claim!
Thanks to a little nudge from The Pook heli-lodge we were there. Sadly our Jojo couldn’t join us on this trip and we nearly called it off but at the 11th hour we had a replacement in the form of Jason from one of our friendly tour op’s - Ski Basics. A strong skier and good friend we were pleased to welcome him on board.
Claire from The Pook aptly organised every little thing for us. From meeting at the heli-lodge below La Rosiere for breakfast, to transfers up to resort and giving the guides a good idea of what we were after. Then after we were done we were whisked back to the lodge for afternoon tea, coffee and cakes. Oh and possibly one of the finest views in this area.The lodge is truly a special place.
Our guide was Xavier a local ski instructor from La Rosiere and he knew the area well. His unfortunate reaction to tracks in the snow that were not his (“zay want to make me vomir!!”) ensured he was keen to take us into fresh areas. Our first ski was off the back off a ski lift in La Rosiere, straight into a nice steep couloir with only a mini 4 minute walk out back to the chairlift. If this is the standard level of off-piste in La Rosiere then we need to get back there soon.
A short ski after that and the heli was waiting for us. A cracking flight toward Mont Blanc saw us dropped off at the top of a mountain with an incredible view facing us. Mont Blanc towering just in front, the Matterhorn way in the distance and on our other side we could see all the familiar tops from Val D’Isere and Tignes, Les Arcs and our own 3 valleys and then even all the way to the south and La Meije next to La Grave. Spectacular and humbling views.
The first descent wasn’t fresh or powdery but good firm chalky snow, down a dead glacier, then into a fine long couloir before out down the valley next to large and impressive avalanche debris and surrounding cliffs.
A short wait and Mr. Helicopter man was back for us. Back to the same drop off point but this time we headed back into the French side and skied some amazing fresh powder snow – it hasn’t snowed for about 10 days but here we were in completely untracked, untouched and unspoilt territory. Thank you Xavier! The views were immense as we skied back down towards Bourg St Maurice and we could see all our familiar mountains from an unfamiliar side.
After many a great pitch of fresh untracked snow we stopped for a small picnic of some home made Chignin wine from Xavi’s sister, some crusty bread and saucisson -truly classically French and how we loved it. This led us nicely onto the bottom half of the run and into the interesting bit! We were treated to a couple more pitches of good snow and then the fun began!!
Into the trees we went and what followed was an extremly tight boardercross/footpath through the forest until eventually easing us down onto the roads above Bourg where we met the team from Pook once again. Whisked home for food and watering before heading back to Meribel.
A superb day and an absolute priviledge to now be able to tell (bore) people about our exerience.
If you are out here thinking about heli-skiing then give The Pook a shout. They are the only ones in the area able to arrange heli trips all over the area and all based out of their own lodge. Not only can you ski the local mountains of La Rosiere and French Alps but also over in Italian and Austrian alps too. Don’t worry, they’ll find you the good snow and the best experience you can imagine!
The full collection of photos from our day can be found on the Flickr page and here’s a quick snippet from the day….
Massive Marmalade thanks to The Pook and to our guide Xavier. What a day and what smiles we had all day and all night!
From all of us here in Meribel and Marmalade Ski School we wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
In recognition of this fine event we are quite hugely proud to deliver you our xmas message to the masses. We hope that you do enjoy the show but as a pre warning – it’s juvenile, puerile, disgraceful but above all quite funny (we think)
Great conditions out here in Meribel. We’ve got the World Cup bumps skiing in town this evening. Loads of fresh snow and fresh tracks all round. Click through to our flickr page here to see the latest shots. We’re all busy with private lessons this week and enjoying sneaking in that last run or two before the mountain shuts.
Here it is our 2011 Christmas message from Marmalade to you all……
Planks Clothing and Marmalade Ski School have joined forces. Planks are an awesome company with a geat story, a fantastic approach to knowing what you want to wear on various parts of your body and is the perfect companion for whence you are flirting with the snow. (of which we are getting plastered with in the Alps - the place looks amazing!)
Now being stocked in various shops and countries world wide and online for you to peruse. We suggest that you do go peruse when you get a minute …
They have very kindly stocked us up with beanies for the winter and an awesome little town/spring jacket. Big thanks Jim and thankyou Planks!
We are 2 weeks through a 3 weeks performance and bumps coaching course up on the Tignes glacier. Big ups to all the guys – Wayne, Birch, Donna and Sandra. The workrate has been high and results are clearly seen….
So actually that was the French team practising. Amazing to watch the speed of these guys. If you have never seen anything like this in the flesh then get yourself to Meribel for the 20th December. You’re in for a treat. They are mental….
Today we turned the corner. Today we saw the future. Today it snowed.
Greg and Del are up in Val D’Isere teaching this weekend. Del is moving onto the 3rd and final week of the Marmalade pre season BASI Level 4 training. Greg has come over to teach one of London’s top chefs and his family - more to follow on that soon. Nick is in transit with the rest of our uniforms and Jojo is about to nip back to the UK for some sanity before all the madness kicks off.
But today we all sighed a sigh of relief as the clouds came in and gave us a little snow. Not much but just a little teaser for what we are expecting to receive – all the forecasts are predicting snowfall across the Alps over the next week and we need it.
In the mean time we are getting a steady stream of enquiries for ski lessons this winter in Meribel and our diaries are beginning to fill up. We’ll be here to keep you up to date on our adult group lessons and kids coaching weeks through the season. We’re dreaming of lots of snow and off-piste lessons, hopefully a long planned but never realised heli skiing trip. Skiing, snowboarding, telemarking, cross country, ski touring, Meribel, Val D’Isere, Verbier, Valmorel, Beaufort, St Foy, anything and everywhere we can think of.
With the snow arriving the winter is now hopefully and truly upon us. We can’t wait for even just the first small slice of it. Come book your ski lessons this winter with us at Marmalade.
Which brings us on nicely to our title – Freezing Marmalade.We are continuing from last year with the support from our friends at Freeze Pro Shop in Edinburgh. A brilliant shop with great, knowledgable and friendly staff and on top of that it’s all online. All of it. And if you book with us you’ll get a 10% discount code to shop with.
Get booking and get spending with Marmalade Ski School, Meribel and Freeze Pro Shop, Edinburgh
book with marmalade ski school for 10% discount
