Orange Marmalade

[Belle]

I've got a very prolific orange tree and grapefruit tree in my back yard. I'd love to make orange marmalade for gift giving this year, but have no clue on how to do it.

I don't have all the canning, preservation accessories that I remember Gramma using when I was growing up. Is there an idiot-proof way to make good tasting orange marmalade?

[Sushi]

This may qualify.

2 valencia oranges

2 large or 3 small lemons

Cut all into quarters

Simmer for five mins in 3 cups of water

Let stand for 12-18 hours in a cool place.

Remove fruit and cut into very small shreds.

Return to water in which it was soaked.

Boil 1 hour.

Add for each cup of fruit mixture

1 cup of sugar

Boil marmalade until the juice forms a jelly when tested.

It should be brought to 9 degrees higher than the temperature of boiling water in your area, which is probably 212. This means it should probably be brought to 221 degrees.

And there you have it, from "The Joy Of Cooking".

[Belle]

AWESOME!!! Thanks, Sushi! :)

They were interviewing the woman's son who wrote that book. Did you know it was self-published? Also still the best selling cookbook of all time.

[Sushi]

Oh, you listen to NPR too?

No, I didn't know it was self published. That makes it even more astounding.

[Watered Garden]

I've never done orange marmalade, but I make a lot of jams and I make peach butter in the summer months.

I use a product you can find on the internet called Pomona Universal Pectin. This jels in a different way from most products in that it uses calcium water, which you mix up in a little jar from their powder combined with water. It's not terribly expensive, one package makes about 4 sessions of jamming, and you only have to use 1/2 to 1/4 the sugar you do with the regular stuff. Since I'm diabetic and Splenda makes me sick, I find it ideal.

They have a website.

WG

[Belle]

OMG! Sushi, you have made me one very happy woman!! If my "spoon licks" are any indication of how great that recipe works, I'm gonna have some very happy recipients of homemade marmalade! :)

THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!

This is by far the easiest recipe and it's soooo yummy!!!

WG, I also watch my sugar intake as I'm "insulin resistant" and learned a great deal about glycemic indexes and sugar replacements when first diagnosed. My all time favorite sugar replacement is agave. It's a little thinner than the consistency of honey - organic and tastes awesome. You can cook with it and do anything with it that you would with sugar. I order it by the 1/2 case from Sweet Cactus Farms.

Yes, it's the same plant they use to make tequila, but God and I made this deal in college that if he would let me live I would NEVER drink tequila again. (I only make promises I plan to keep) Anyway, I highly recommend you try agave. You can buy one or two bottles from a health food store, but then you'll probably want to buy from Sweet Cactus Farms.

[Kit Sober]

Thanks Belle.

Fred loves marmalade and is also diabetic. I am going to try this agave stuff for him.

Thanks, again.