World Marmalade Awards won by Japanese yuzu and pear preserve

A yuzu and pear preserve has taken the top title at the World Marmalade Awards.

Now in its 20th year, the festival at Dalemain, near Penrith in Cumbria, attracts thousands of entries from around the world.

Hitomi Wakamura, from Tokyo, said it was a “great honour” to be chosen as winner in the homemade category.

The champion marmalade will now go on sale at Fortnum & Mason in London, with a percentage of the proceeds going to the charity Hospice at Home.

Beatrice Hasell-McCosh, director of awards, said: ‘It is a brilliant win for an overseas competitor in this competition which upholds the ideal in British standard marmalade making.

“Yuzu has become more and more popular in the past decade with many entries using this gorgeous, perfumed citrus in their recipes.

“It is a well deserved win for Hitomi Wakamura and special that it comes as we mark our 20th anniversary year and that she was able to travel all the way from Japan to be with us and receive her prize in person.”

Hitomi Wakamura said: “It’s a great honour that my Yuzu and Pear marmalade was chosen in the Homemade Competition this year.

“I would like to thank all those involved for giving me this opportunity. “

The 3,200 entries this year came from as far afield as Hawaii, New Zealand, South Korea, Botswana and Georgia, along with many from around the UK.

As well as the citrus-based offerings, some contained more unusual ingredients such as caterpillars, capers and Irn Bru.