Jun 27 Cherry and Orange Marmalade

• 8 cups pitted bing or other sweet cherries
• 1 1/3 cups thinly sliced orange segments, peel left on (I chose Cara Cara oranges)
• 8 tablespoons lemon juice
• 7 cups granulated sugar

To round out the selection of cherry goodies I’ve been making lately, I decided to go for some cherry and orange marmalade. Marmalade, for anyone who doesn’t know the technical difference, is a fruit preserve that is thickened using the naturally occurring pectin in the peels and membranes of citrus fruit. So, one of its distinguishing characteristics is that it contains pieces of citrus peel in the preserve.

This is a pretty easy recipe. The cherries, orange, and lemon juice go in a pot and get cooked down over medium heat for about twenty minutes or so until the orange peel is tender. The sugar is then added gradually and the mixture is cooked at a strong boil for about 30 minutes or until it has reached the right consistency.

Testing jam and marmalade consistency is not particularly easy if you ask me. I’ve found the best technique is to spoon a small amount (a teaspoon or less) onto a small dish or plate and toss it in the freezer for a few minutes (just enough to cool it to near room temperature). When the right consistency is reached, you can draw your finger through the middle of the marmalade and it will separate into two segments instead of running back together. There are plenty of other testing techniques, however, and some may work better for other people.

Once the marmalade has reached the right consistency, ladle it into 8 ounce jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space (I got about 8 jars out of this batch). Process it for 15 minutes in a canner, and you’re good to go.

When it comes right down to it, marmalade is, well, marmalade. It’s sweet and gooey and can be pretty good, but it’s unlikely to ever be transcendent – at least none of the recipes I've tried yet. That said, there is something pretty satisfying about slathering your morning toast with a batch of your own marmalade containing a mere four ingredients.