The Marmalade Festival ...

HOLA! PADDINGTON BEAR'S MARMALADE SANDWICH GETS A HOT & SPICY MAKEOVER

OUR competition to re-invent Paddington Bear's famous marmalade sandwich to celebrate his 50th birthday attracted thousands of entries from the United Kingdom.

All our entrants shared a passion for Paddington Bear and tasty and unusual sandwich fillings.

Caroline Dale, marketing manager for Carrs Breadmaker, explained:

"Hundreds of favourite concoctions arrived daily on our desk and it took us all our time to keep up.

"From anchovies, feta cheese and marmalade to pickled onions, beetroot and marmalade, the variety of fillings was truly astonishing."

After whittling down the entries to a top ten we invited our taste test panel – Cumbrian hoteliers Jane Knowles and Ean Scott – to select a final three to go before the public vote at the World Marmalade Festival.

Against a criteria of taste, aroma, appearance and texture Jane and Ean plumped for:

1. Banana, ready salted crisps and orange marmalade
2. Goats' cheese, rocket, jalapeño peppers and orange marmalade
3. Brie, pastrami and orange marmalade

Jane, former sales director of English Lake Hotels, said:

"On paper they sounded dubious to say the least. But we were taken aback by just how delicious all three were.

"If the marmalade isn’t too sweet it really is a perfect complement to so many other savoury and sweet foodstuffs."

Eventually, after hundreds of visitors to the festival had tried all three fillings, the Goats' cheese, rocket, jalapeño peppers and orange marmalade was declared the winner.

Its inventor – Joanne Ogden of Cheltenham, Gloucester – was thrilled that so many people enjoyed her concoction.

"I've been making it for years and I prepare it at least once a week for the family. The jalapeño peppers give it a bit of a Mexican twist,” she said.

She wins a luxury weekend for two at Storrs Hall in the Lake District (visit the Storr's Hall web site).

Michelle Bullock (pictured below with daughter and prize hamper) of Cockermouth, Cumbria, won a hamper of Cumbrian artisan foods after voting for the filling which entitled her to an entry in a special Carrs Breadmaker prize draw.