Make Marmalade Now

New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 730, 10 July 1953, Page 22

Make Marmalade Now

| YEAR or two ago I read an | interesting article by Dr. Muriel Bell about New Zealand grapefruit and its richness in the important Vitamin C. She said: "If you have maligned them by thinking of them merely as the poorman orange, try them now. They are a more mature version of their younger brethren, juicier than many of the imported grapefruit, and often better liked once you have acquired the taste." It is a good idea to buy them by the case, and make a habit of eating one raw every day-preferably as a breakfast fruit with honey-or else to drink the juice of one. For this they must be mature-by about July usually. Marmalade, however, is best made early in the season; it sets better. If you are making it later on, and it seems unduly long in setting, add a teaspoonful of citric acid to an ordinary boiling and boil 5 to 10 minutes more. This is a useful hint in any jam-making. Be careful not to over-boil, and test frequently after it has reached the "rolling boil" stage which occurs when you are sure you have stirred in the sugar so thoroughly that it is properly dissolved. Sometimes a very few minutes makes the difference between over and under boiling, so do test frequently. Over-boiling, or undissolved sugar, will make the marmalade get sticky and crystallised. Remember. too, that it is better to make fairly small boilings. Make two smallish lots rather than one very big one. This is because, unlike commercial jam-makers, our jam-pans are only heated from the bottom, and are not surrounded by a steam-jacket which ensures equal heating all round thé sides as well, Easy, Safe Marmalade To every good-sized orange, lemon or grapefruit, allow 1 Ib. sugar and 1 pint water, Cut up fruit, cover with the correct amount of water. Leave 12 hours. Next day, boil slowly till soft, then add warmed sugar, and boil quickly till it will set. Lower Hutt Marmalade One pound of grapefruit, lemons or oranges-or a mixture of all three, 1 quart water, 3 Ib. sugar. Rub the grapefruit (or whatever you have) through the vegetable scraper. Soak overnight in the water. Boil for an hour, add the sugar, and boil again for %% hour to 1 hour. This is a good marmalade and very little trouble. Prize Marmalade ‘Six N.Z. grapefruit (or 4 grapefruit and 2 sweet oranges). 9 lb. sugar. 12

breakfast cups water. Cut up fruit very finely, add water, leave 12 hours. Then bring to the boil, and boil

till soft. Leave till next day, then boil for half an hour. Then add sugar, and boil 3% to 1 hour or till it will set. Makes good jelly with orange well divided-not too sweet nor too bitter, N.Z. Grapefruit Marmalade Slice fruit very finely. To every cup of fruit put 142 cups of water and let soak 24 hours. Boil % hour, Let cool overnight. To every cup of pulp put one of sugar, Let boil briskly till golden. Test. Sets like jelly. Pukekohe Marmalade Two pounds oranges, 12 small cups water, 6 lb. sugar. Quarter oranges and put 8 cups water over them in suitable vessel; leave all night. Put pips and cores into another basin with 4 cups water. Next day slice the oranges and drain the pips, etc., and boil all one hour. Leave 24 hours, add sugar, and boil 1 hour or until it jells. Orange Peel Marmalade People often have orange or lemon skins left over after using the juice. Here is a recipe for using them. Cut and finely shred the skins, add 2 cups water for ‘each skin, and stand overnight. Next day, boil 1 hour. Next day, measure, bring to the boil, and add cup for cup of sugar, Boil till thick. A little lemon juice or a whole lemon added is an improvement. Hamilton Marmalade Three and a quarter pounds of New Zealand grapefruit (about 8), 8 pints water, 8 Ib. sugar. Cut up the fruit very finely indeed with a sharp knife, carefully conserving all the juice; cover with the water, soak at least 24 hours, Then simmer consistently until skins are quite tender (about 11% hours). Leave standing another 24 hours. Bring to boil again and then add the warmed sugar gradually, stirring continuously. When you are sure that the sugar is really dissolved, turn up the heat and boil very fast until it will set when tested on a cold plate. It may take anything from 10 to 30 minutes, according to the ripeness of the fruit. Test very often, so as not to overboil. Bottle in clean, hot jars. Seal airtight. A round piece of white paper dipped in vinegar and laid on top of the marmalade before sealing helps to prevent mould. re Lemon Marmalade Three lemons and three oranges. Cut finely, cover with water, and leave

overnight. Boil till tender. Leave _ overnight again. Bring to the boil, add cup for cup of sugar, and boil till it will set. Lemon and Carrot Grate finely 3 large carrots and finely slice 3 lemons. Cover with 3 pints of boiling water, and boil for 142 hours, when all should be tender. Then add 4 Ib. sugar, stir till dissolved, and boil] until it will set when tested, stirring frequently -~about another 14% hours.