Marmalade Time

I bought a case of oranges today, and the first batch of marmalade is ready to cook in the morning (I do the peels and chopping the day before). That took care of eight oranges-no idea what to do with the other fifty or so, but they sure do look beautiful in glass bowls on my table.

Every year I ask myself why I do it, then finish my last jar of the previous year's preserving at Christmas and...well here we are. What else do I have to do in the dead of January?

I ended up paying around .30 a pound for these-just by asking the produce manager if there was a discount for a case. I find it is always worth asking, and once word gets out that you're an avid preserver, you'll be alerted to special items, sales, and the like. It also helps if you say thank you with a jar of whatever you made, which seems like good manners to me.

These oranges were tart, and delicious for plain old navels. As we can't get Sevilles here, I usually add orange blossom water for the bitterness, and extra lemon for the tartness. This time, two lemon per batch should suffice. I've already made myself ill eating a couple this evening, but I'm certain that won't stop me. Blood oranges are my real downfall, but they've been awful this year (so far). I could eat an entire case of those on my own-not in a single sitting of course, but over a week's time...probably. Those are never .30 cents a pound.

I have the next twelve hours to decide between brown, or white sugar. I'm partial to brown in marmalade as I think it gives it a more interesting flavour, but the oranges are so good this year, I don't think they need to be made more interesting. A dilemma, I tell you!


Also on the list this year:

Spiced Orange Jelly

Creamsicle Jelly (With vanilla)

Orange, Apple, and Honey Fruit Leather

Candied Orange Slices

Candied Orange Peels in Chocolate

Orange Chiffon Pie

Orange Slices in Brandy

Pickled Orange Slices in Malt Vinegar


I'm exhausted just typing it out.