My Latest Marmalade

November 2008: I discover I like marmalade while staying at the Arizona Inn in Tucson. They have a house-made marmalade that for some reason I dollop onto my oatmeal. It is delicious. Until this point marmalade was always my last-resort preserve. 

January 2009: I make marmalade for the first time and still like it.

Later January 2009: Sophia's grandmother makes delicious marmalade out of these tiny bitter oranges.

February 2009: I start getting fancy with my marmalade. The latest batch has pink grapefruit, oranges and rose water in it.  My aunt who also does not like marmalade says that it's good.

This is how to do it:

Quarter and soak desired citrus in water overnight (I used 1 large pink grapefruit and  small cara cara oranges).  Take out seeds, and shred with a cheese grater or food processor. Cook mixture with desired amount of sugar (I used about a cup). Cook the mixture down for about 20 minutes. Towards the end splash some rose water into it.  

Disclaimer: in the photo you may see small dark dots, they are peppercorns and do nothing for taste.

Photo courtesy of James Board