In the field of marmalade cookbooks, this book remains at the top of the heap. It’s an excellent primer on the basics as well as an opportunity to go deeper.
Last fall, when I was still trying to pick myself up from the blow of being laid off from my job, I got a email from my editor at Running Press. She was working on a marmalade project and wanted to know if I’d be interested in making a sampling of recipes from book for the photo shoot. My need for work, coupled with the fact that I was very much excited to see a world of new-to-me marmalades, meant that I said yes within moments of receiving her note.
In early January, I spent about two weeks digging deep into the world of marmalades. I simmered, sliced, grated, and jarred up 12 recipes from the book. I went crazy trying to find yuzu, passionfruit, and Seville oranges in Philadelphia. Without question, I got far more than my daily recommended dose of vitamin C during that period.
Now, many months later, Marmalade
Of course, I get particular pleasure flipping through this book, because nearly every preserve and spread pictured is something I made in my own kitchen. It’s ridiculously satisfying to look at the photos and recall the flavors and aromas of each recipe.
I’m also happy to have this volume in my hands, because while I made a dozen of the recipes it contains, I didn’t actually get to keep any of them. I’m very much looking forward to revisit the Tangerine and Vanilla Marmalade, as well as the “In the Pink” variety made from ruby red grapefruit.
Recently, I queried my Twitter followers, asking what they were looking for in a preserving book. An internet acquaintance of mine said that she was looking for something that would allow her to push her preserving skills and move beyond the basic “Canning 101” recipes that are so readily found. Happily (at least, if she likes marmalade), this is a book that might serve her well. While it’s plenty accessible for new canners, there’s also plenty here that will satisfy those looking to broaden their canning.
I’m afraid that I’m responsible for this variation on the Passionfruit Marmalade recipe in this book. When I tested these recipes, I marched up and down the length and breadth of Philadelphia, trying to find passionfruit. I came to the conclusion that it was impossible to source in January.
Instead of admitting defeat, I created a version that used dragon fruit, in the hopes that it might trick the camera. It didn’t, but instead of tossing that batch, the powers that be decided to add a variation to the book, in order to make the photo work. I was greatly relieved that my efforts weren’t wasted. It’s also fun to see the small impact I had on this delightful book.
Love it!
I loves me some marmalade and now that I’ve started canning, I’m really interested in finding different recipes–the dragon fruit looks right up my alley!
I hated it growing up, but now it’s just to my adult tastes. I’ve made a couple of batches (Orange Cranberry and Meyer Lemon Vanilla), but I’d love to go more in depth with it!
Love, love love Marmalade! I live in SoCal and have citrus in my backyard my last Marmalade was Kumquat, I just love the sweet/tart texture and taste. I just planted a passion vine and a guava maybe in a few years I’ll be all set.
I LOVE Marmalade and I LOVE making Marmalade! I made Lime Marmalade as a “special request” from a customer and it has become a best seller!! I would love a copy of your new book so I can explore more new Marmalades.
I LOVE marmalade and would be very interested in making some savory types.
I *love* marmalade. I was finally able to quit breaking the bank on Tiptree’s Tawny Orange when I stumbled upon Nigella Lawson’s miraculous, simple red grapefruit recipe (slightly adapted, here: http://sallyandherteacakes.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/grapefruit-marmalade/). It was even tawnier, with bitter and caramel undertones — just perfect on toast or for a quick toss with some rice vinegar, chiles, veggies, and shrimp on pasta.
From there, it was on to lemon marmalade, which I could make as tart as I wanted (i.e., less so than Trappist) then quince, lime, and wonderful combinations. But savory, now that piques my interest!
My grandmother always made orange marmalade in the winter. It’s one of my favorite preserves but I have never tried making it. This book could be my inspiration.
I love marmalade! Normally I try and limit my canning and preserving to locally-grown fruits and veggies, but I have to make citrus exceptions, because they don’t grow here in Canada. So I patiently wait for Florida citrus season to come around (it’s here! or almost here!) to make marmalade. The only one I’ve made before was a triple citrus one with ruby red grapefruit, oranges, and lemons and it was amazing. I can’t wait to try more varieties!
My favorite marmalade so far is the Lemon Ginger Marmalade from the Ball Complete Book of Canning. I love to eat marmalades on cold winter mornings when I need some brightness in my life.
Marmalade is next on my list of things to try.
The book looks beautiful!
I never grew up with marmalade, but I am very much liking it now. Made some carrot cake marmalade a few weeks ago, and it will make a lovely Christmas gift! I’d love to make some other kinds.
This book sounds amazing! I love the idea of so many different varieties, as orange and lemon are the only I’ve ever had. The combination of sweet and bitter, jelly and candied rind – there’s just something delicious about it all.
I love marmalade! I may have gone a little overboard the first time I made it. I ended up with a supply good for 3 years. Oops. Now I have toned down my marmalade making, but I would love some new and less basic recipes. I swapped for a jar of ginger lime marmalade last year, and it has been on the top of my winter jamming list ever since. Thanks for the giveaway!
My main experience with marmalade was a chicken recipe from a wonderful Natural Gourmet Institute class on cooking for cancer care. It was designed to help the patient be able to hold down and assimilate the meal. Tasty and beautiful, from a very loving place.
I love marmalade, but I’m a little timid to make it.
I enjoy marmalade but more to cook with than eat (exceptions being blood orange marmalade because I love blood oranges in any and all forms). Orange marmalade is my flavor of choice however my best friend recently purchased a jar of lemon marmalade and I believe a roast chicken is yearning to be bathed in it…
Marmalade always reminds me of Paddington Bear. I love it, and sometimes do wish I had a marmalade sandwich under my hat for emergencies. I’ve only made fairly traditional marmalade, and an unfortunate batch of pink grapefruit marmalade which didn’t set (but was yummy nonetheless). This book looks fantastic!
I LOVE Marmalade- the more bitter the better. I like it piled on a biscuit on top of butter. Yum!
I love marmalade, but haven’t had it in ages. I’d love to try creating a few that push beyond the standard Smucker’s orange variety.
My one and only attempt at marmalade ended disastrously, with a horribly bitter blood orange goop that wouldn’t spread and was completely inedible.
ah, such beauty in those photos! It took me the better part of my life to learn to love marmalade. As a teenager, on my first solo cross country flight, I was served a marmalade omelet. Set the bar, sorry to say. A few years ago, as I returned to the preserving lessons of my youth, I began to embrace the bitter & sweet. One of my favorite recipes is Rhubarbalade – rhubarb blood orange preserve. Heavenly!
I love marmalade…it’s not fancy but my current favorite is the Ikea marmalade that includes elderflower. I can only imagine how delicious homemade marmalade is!
I have fond memories of making fresh tea biscuits with my grandma and eating them hot with marmalade! Would love to expand my repertoire of marmalade to serve over biscuits.
I haven’t been brave enough to try marmelades yet; I think I might be afraid of them. I’m not overly fond of the marmelades I’ve tried, but let’s be honest, I’m pretty sure I haven’t had the opportunity to have a really, really good one. I *do* have some empty half-pints, though, so you never know when inspiration will set in!
Last year, I went on a marmalade tear. I mail ordered Seville oranges and rangpur limes from California and purchased pounds and pounds of Meyer lemons and blood oranges. What I found is that a surprising number of people like marmalade. And that the people who favor marmalade are marmalade fanatics. This year, I made only one type of marmalade. I think there are going to be some sad people during holiday season this year.
I LOVE marmalade! Not only is it incredibly useful paired with both sweet and savory foods, but it always LOOKS so gorgeous. And let’s all admit it, it’s a way more romantic word than Jam or Jelly.
Making Blood Orange Marmalade is on my culinary bucketlist!
I used to swear I hated marmalade. Turns out I just hate the large scale commercial ones. My husband talked me into trying some on these amazing biscuits at a local creol restaurant and I was converted. We are definitely planning on making some marmalade this year.
I haven’t tried making marmalade yet since I am just starting out. Marmalade has always been my favorite even since I was little! My children think I am crazy for making peanut butter and marmalade sandwiches. I live near San Antonio and Texas citrus is amazing! I would love this book to learn how to use all the local citrus coming into season. I would love to make something so much more than the junk on the shelves.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE marmalade any type, any time. Especially on rye bread…YUM!
Can’t wait to have a better look at this book!
We never had marmalade in the house when I was growing up, but whenever we stayed at a hotel (which was a big deal!) I always spread my toast with butter and one packet of marmalade (I always loved how the little packets stacked up in those stands on the table!), and ate at least two more straight out of the packet with a spoon. I’ve never seen Seville oranges at any local stores; I’d be super excited to have all of these variations to try making! Maybe I’d even give some to my parents. 🙂
What a beautiful book! I would love to try my hand at some marmalade!
So excited to see this book. I agree that we need a book that pushes beyond basic preserving
I made orange marmalade years ago. Not knowing that it could take a long time to set, I panicked when I saw that it was still liquid in the jars, opened them all up and recooked them with more pectin. Of course, I eventually had “concrete” in the jars.
This book looks beautiful! I have been wanting to try making marmalade and this looks like a perfect way to learn more about it.
I just pulled out your cookbook last night while watching election results because I knew it was almost time to start planning my marmalade making for the year! This new cookbook look like it is awesome!
Marmalade…citrusy goodness that lingers in your mouth and in your memories!
A friend and I have started a little condiment caper together in her well-appointed kitchen, which is a 45-minute drive from my house. I headed out for a morning’s marmalading with a tall 2-gallon pot of the first unsugared boiling of cara cara oranges on the floor of the back seat. I thought it was firmly braced for the trip, but alas, I was wrong. On the last turn of the trip, over it went. One unretrievable gallon of orange went for a semi-permanent dressing on my car carpet. The gallon that survived in the pot went on to become Cara Corolla Marmalade. And very good it was, but my car will always have a subtle hint of eau d’orange.
Love marmalade. We always had a jar of orange marmalade while I was growing up. My mother canned everything there is possibly to can – but marmalade was not one of those foods – sadly I have to say it was always a jar that was mass produced from the market. In my adult life I enjoy what I call real marmalade !!
Everyone I know hates marmalade…. except me. I first tried it in my 20s, if you can believe that, and I was instantly hooked!
There’s nothing like toast with marmalade and a cup of tea to make one appreciate simple pleasures – especially in winter, when the citrusy taste brings you right back to summer!
I am so looking forward to trying my first batch of marmalade!!!
My grandmother was never without a jar (or 12) of marmalade she had made herself. It was a staple for her simple breakfast of toast and tea and every time I see marmalade I think of her. She passed away a few years ago and I carry on the tradition in my own home.
I love to cook with marmalade. Orange marmalade on salmon and so on. But yummy on toast too!
I have a neighbor with a quince tree, and have always wanted to try making quince paste (second only to blood orange marmelade). I hadn’t realized how different “real” quinces are from Japanese quince until I tried to make it using the latter….
Not being a marmalade lover, I decided to try making my own to see if that would change my mind. It did! Blood orange (Moro orange), red onion, grapefruit, Meyer lemon – all yummy and lovely to serve on a wintry morning with scones fresh from the oven. Did I mention that I dislike winter? I think marmalade and scones make it a bit brighter.
I love marmalade but have never made it!
My first marmalade attempt was gross! I think I got too much of the white pith and it was bitter–barely edible! Since then, I’ve learned and my more recent tries have been pretty good–but I’m always eager to branch out beyond my “orange marmalade” jars…..
I live for making marmalade. I love to find really rare citrus and come up with interesting combinations. Nothing is more relaxing to me then the constant cutting of citrus. This past week I made a buddha hands marmalade with meyer lemons and valencia oranges. I will be making a sweet lime marmalade along with a ranqpur lime marmalade! Last night I made an elderberry marmalade with oranges and star anise.
I love marmalade! The first time I tried it was when I made some with my hebrew school class on Sukkot, out of etrogs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etrog) and I can’t say I liked it then, but I’ve since come around 🙂
My first marmalade a couple of years ago, was a lemon marmalade. I was intrigued by the idea of a lemon marmalade, and I knew a friend who promised to love it if I made it. I hate to say I held her to that and gifted her with a large jar of it as part of her birthday present. I only hate to say that I held her to it, because I’ve learned a little about marmalade since that first batch, and memories of the goopy, almost caramelized mess still have a cringe-inducing effect on me. Now, I can gift my lemon marmalade, because I found and perfected a recipe for it that does not promise to be fast, but it is relatively easy. It’s a wonderful process and the end result is pretty in its jar as well as tasty on a biscuit. I would love to branch out into more marmalade!