In what seems to be something of a recurring theme at the moment I've had a bit of a kitchen disaster today - one that I hope will be redeemable, I'll find out later. I wasn't going to make marmalade this year, I still have quite a bit of last years hanging around. Normally I share it, take it with me when I'm going to visit people as a gift, or just give it to other marmalade fans I like - but 2020 wasn't good for that, and 2021 doesn't look like it's going to be much better.
On the other hand I've made marmalade every January for something like 14 years now, and it's a hard habit to drop. In the end when I saw Seville oranges for sale I bought some, just not as many as usual, and decided to go for it anyway. The other tradition I have with marmalade is a complete falling away of enthusiasm for the job as soon as I get oranges - and so it was this year. I love making jelly, like making jam, get impatient with the time it takes for marmalade and chutney (but love the results).
This is partly why I favour the whole fruit method. It doesn't take much effort to measure out the water, throw the oranges in it and start simmering them - and then you're committed. The oranges went on to soften last night, which meant today I got the sticky, slimy job of cutting them up and removing the pips (this is the tedious bit, it always takes much longer than I expect it to).
I've always used a Jane Grigson recipe for my base, and sometimes chucked in extras (mostly booze, this year it was Cointreau for an extra orange hit), it calls for 1.5 kilos of oranges, 3 kilos of sugar, and makes 13 - 14 mixed sized jars according to my notes. I only bought a kilo of oranges and adjusted accordingly, it's made me 7 jars which is probably more realistic for a single person household. I don't know how much marmalade of uncertain vintage I'll find when I have a really good clear out of my cupboards, but it's past time I found out.
I hadn't bargained on a power cut coinciding with almost reaching setting point (or the water going off too, but that was less crucial), or considered just how differently the marmalade would behave in a smaller quantity. Which is a long winded way of saying I over cooked it. If the bits I dribbled over the work top are anything to go by this year's marmalade has a remarkably firm set; when the power came on I boiled it up again which turned out to be a bit more boiling than the smaller quantity needed.
There's a book I should be reading at the moment too, but my concentration has deserted me, so instead I'm re reading 'The Devil's Cub' for the Georgette Heyer readalong and knitting my second sock - both of which occupations are actually working out when almost everything else I touch seems to turn to nonsense right now, so perhaps I should stick with those and cheese on toast for the rest of the week.
It's a pity we in the US lack the tradition of making marmalade. Perhaps we don't grow the right oranges? I'm reminded of a scene in Gosford Park in which Maggie Smith's character is served store-bought marmalade and says "I call that very feeble."
ReplyDeleteThat scene always annoyed me. I used to work in a small country house hotel in the summer, the first time I made marmalade was there (grapefruit, lemon, and orange). It seemed absurd to me that the Gosford park cook and housekeeper wouldn't have done the same. Seville oranges are highly seasonal and specific (an old sort of bitter orange) but they're not the only thing you can use. Making marmalade is a slightly tedious job, but very satisfying when it's done.
DeleteYour efforts are appreciated here because that photo has made my day for being so cheery!
ReplyDeleteIt turned out a little bit better than I feared - it's definitely edible, and the colour is really cheery - which is part of the reason for making it. January needs orange in it.
DeleteThat looks amazing and I'm so impressed! I'm in awe of anyone who can preserve and can, I've never made anything beyond freezer jam when I was a kid, during strawberry season. I know canning has become trendy in the US so maybe I'll give it a try this summer.
ReplyDeleteAnd good for you with the second sock! I've never actually completed a pair of socks, I've only knit parts and then gotten stuck or frustrated, and never finished the pairs. I've started a new pair and am doing both feet, then hopefully I'll master turning the heel and do both of those. Please post a photo when they're done, I'd love to see them.
If you have the time, inclination, and access to cheap fruit things like jam and marmalade are easy and satisfying. I keep meaning to try pickling as well, but that maybe needs more people to help eat them. Marmalade takes a while with all the chopping and then you have to boil it to a specific temperature/setting point (jam is generally a bit quicker) but on a cold day with nothing much else to do it's an enjoyably slow process. I finished the second sock today, all I have to do now id weave in the ends and wash them. Can not wait to wear!
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