I didn't have time to do anything with the peels (expect for some lemon peels that I julienned and froze). I stuck them in the freezer and maybe I will get around to do something with them after all. I feel I have enough Citrus Marmalade to last us through the year, and the fruit that is coming in now doesn't look so great anyway.

I have three weeks of school break coming up (two kids in different schools) and the agency that sent me the last job said there will be more soon. I was going to get things together for taxes yesterday, when my neighbor (different neighbor than last time) called and asked me to watch her baby. I guess I am the local emergency child care provider. When all this snow come down her husband shovelled in front of our house. I always works itself out soemhow.

My daughter's birthday (4) is coming up in ten days (yes, we are counting days), and I am off to hunt for party stuff. There is no way, I could do this next week, when she is around.

Did I say we have snow again and the windchill is seven degrees?  10:13:01 AM    
Comments []

After studying lots of recipes, comparing, trying out and comparing again, I think I have arrived at something of a basic recipe, or at least a process I feel comfortable with. My main inspiration has been June Taylor although I have yet to taste any of her creations. I found a couple of her recipes on the Internet, and while I was never able to exactly follow any of them (due to differences in ingredients and quantities) her procedures for making marmalade (and her philosophy in general) make a lot of sense to me.

In order to arrive at a concoction that jells in the right way (not too runny not too solid), won't spoil, tastes yummy and looks pretty, you need fruit, sugar, acid, water and pectin, heat and time. Your fruit already has some sugar, acid, water, and pectin and therefore, how much of these ingredients you need to add depends on the fruit you start out with. Basically, a real artisan marmalade maker would tailor the recipe to every particular batch of fruit.

The two most important things I learnt during my recent adventures at Marmalade pot:

1) If you don't want your Marmalade to be bitter, keep out the white stuff (the pith, or albedo) because that's where most of the bitterness is.

2) The overall "character" of your marmalade is very much determined by how much rind you add, and how you cut it. If you cut very fine stripes (about 1/8 of an inch), they will pretty much disappear during the cooking, while imparting flavor and aroma (the rind is where the essential oils are). If you want the rinds to add more character, leave them about half an inch wide. Personally, I don't like a lot of big pieces of rind and I found that cutting them into relatively small pieces (squares or triangles) makes for a very pretty effect. Also possible: cut some rind very fine but leave some bits larger. Creative combinations are also possible, e.g. floating bits of Tangelo peel in Grapefruit-Tangelo Marmalade or Lemon squares in Orange Marmalade.

Basic Process for Citrus Marmalade

Wash your fruit. Select the prettiest pieces and peel them with a vegetable peeler. Cut the rind in stripes or pieces. Stop when you have about 1 cup (or more or less, depending on how much rind you like in your marmalade).

Cut all the pith (and peel) away from the fruit and then cut the segments away from the membranes. Work over a bowl to catch the juice. This step is kind of messy and bit hard to describe but you will get the hang of it. Squeeze the juice out of the messy lump of membranes you're left with and collect all the membranes and seeds in another bowl. Stop when you have about 5 cups of segments (and juice).

Put the rinds and the fruit in a large pot. Add the juice of 2-4 lemons (depending on how acid your fruit is). Add water, two cups should be ok.

Put the mess of membranes and seeds in a jelly bag if you have one, or put it in at least 4 layers of cheesecloth and tie it with twine. Put this package in the pot as well. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes until the peels are tender. While this is cooking get your canning stuff and jars and lids ready and put a small plate in the freezer (for the jell-test).

Turn off heat. Put the package in a bowl and wait until it is cool enough to handle. The membranes are rich in pectin and you want to get as much of the pectin as possible to make the marmalade jell. To that end, squeeze and twist this package over the bowl until you think you can't coax any more of that thick white pectin-rich oooze out of it. This is a bit laborious and every drop counts. If you are using cheesecloth be careful that it doesn't burst or break. Stir the pectin back into the pot.

Now it's time to add the sugar. Measure the fruit mixture. Traditional recipes would say add one cup of sugar per cup of fruit mixture. I have had good success with 2/3 cup of sugar per cup of fruit mixture. Add the sugar to the pot and stir to dissolve.

Turn on the heat and watch closely, stirring frequently. Don't leave your post once it has started boiling. Let it come to a "full rolling boil." It will be all bubbly and foamy and a bit scary. Keep stirring. It will take at least 20 minutes until the marmalade is done, and may even take 45 minutes or more. You will know your are almost there when a candy thermometer reads close to 220 degrees, the mixture gets thicker, changes color and the bits of fruit and rind have become shiny and sort of transparent.

Drop some marmalade on the plate from the freezer. Wait a bit and trace a line with your finger through it, if it doesn't flow back together and doesn't run when you tilt the plate it should be done. (I overcooked the first jams I made because I was so worried they wouldn't jell. I prefer a softer set and if you end up with marmalade that is too runny you can always cook it again but it is harder to doctor up overcooked jam. It will continue to set as it cools; it can take up to two weeks after processing to fully set.)

Take pot from heat. Quickly fill hot jars, seal and process for 10 minutes). Take jars out of canner and let cool for a couple of hours. Check to see if vacuum has formed, label and store.  9:51:22 AM    
Comments []