Calamondin Orange Marmalade: Homemade Beauty for Breakfast . . .

Beauty for Breakfast: Calamondin Orange Marmalade & Vintage Roses 

I really, really wanted a vacation this winter, but fate had other things in mind and personal responsibilities held me close to home. So, I’ve been giving myself mini-staycations to compensate a bit. These weekend retreats —usually nothing more extravagant than a new book, homemade pâtisserie or a trip to the greenhouse— have really made a difference. This new awakening —a beauty renaissance of sorts— seems to be giving my days the je ne sais quoi that I have been seeking. Can the key to happiness be as simple as setting a lovely breakfast table with flowers, fresh-baked bread and homemade Calamondin Orange Marmalade? Perhaps it is not so easy, but I think I may be on to something. There is joy to be found in the creation of a beautiful, everyday experience.

Calamondin Oranges are One of the Easier-to-Grow, Indoor Citrus Trees. For Tips, Click Here to Visit My Previous Post on Growing Citrus Indoors.My Own Calamondin Oranges, Freshly Picked from the Tree Making Your Own Pot of Gold: Calamondin Orange Marmalade

Today’s lesson: celebrate the beauty surrounding you by appreciating, using, and savoring what you’ve got. If you’re a gardener, this is pretty simple in summertime. But in winter? You’ll have to look a bit harder. Have a terrarium or beautiful houseplant? Set that in the middle of your dining room table. Have frozen blueberries in your freezer? Make blueberry popover pancake. Grow herbs on your windowsill? Bake a loaf of No-Knead Rosemary Bread. Have a citrus tree? Harvest some fruit and make a batch of marmalade. It’s amazing how gratitude fosters happiness.

..

C a l a m o n d i n   O r a n g e   M a r m a l a d e

Special Equipment:

Food processor, non-corrosive saucepan, candy thermometer, canning jars/lids and canning kit

Ingredients:

1          cup calamondin orange juice/pulp/rind (40-50 calamondin oranges)

1          cup water

2          cups granulated sugar

Have an extra-large harvest of Calamondins? This recipe can be doubled.

Method: 

Wash 40-50 calamondin oranges and pat dry. Slice fruits in half at the equator. Holding fruit over a large liquid measuring cup or small bowl, remove seeds and discard. Fit a slicing blade inside a food processor and toss fruit, rind, pulp, juice and all, into the bowl. Pulse two or three times until the rinds are cut up to the consistency of marmalade. Do not over-process or puree. You can also squeeze the juice/pulp into a bowl and slice the rinds by hand if you don’t have access to a food processor.

Pour the fruit juice/pulp/rind into a large, liquid measuring cup. You should have about 1 cup, but the juiciness of fruit varies. Add water to the reach the 2 cup line and stir well.

Pour the orange/water mixture into a medium sized, non-corrosive saucepan (large if you are making a double batch). Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Slowly, over 10-15 minutes time, add sugar in small amounts and continue to stir the boiling, bubbling mixture. Be sure each amount of sugar dissolves before adding more. After approximately 20 minutes, use a candy thermometer to check the temperature. Remove from heat when the marmalade hits 228°F.

Carefully pour marmalade into sterilized canning jars and seal. Process marmalade in a boiling water canner (5-15 mins according to your altitude and USDA safe canning instructions). USDA instructions for safe canning may be found here.

.

Taking a Social Media break? Follow my blog with Bloglovin & never miss a post

Photography copyright Michaela Harlow at The Gardener’s Eden, all rights reserved. All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used, reproduced or reposted elsewhere without written consent.

Do you enjoy visiting The Gardener’s Eden? You can help support this site by shopping through the affiliate-links here. At no additional cost to you, a small commission will be paid The Gardener’s Eden, to help with site maintenance and web hosting costs. Thank you!

.

7 Replies to “Calamondin Orange Marmalade: Homemade Beauty for Breakfast . . .”

  1. Serena

    I’ve been reading your lovely blog for years. The photography of course beautiful, but so are the sentiments like in this one. Yes, the key to happiness is beauty, beauty in everything means more happiness….setting that table with special flowers, as if for a special guest, and then being that guest who enjoys it as much as any guest would. :-)

  2. Michaela

    Hello Serena, Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind and thoughtful comment, and for following the blog all these years! I am so happy to know that you are enjoying the posts. Michaela

  3. Deb Weyrich-Cody

    Hello again Michaela; I’d meant to mention this before, but it is just SO wonderful to see your blog posts popping up in my inbox regularly again! And today, Serena said it so well, I would only add how much your sunny Calamondin brightened my morning and had me wishing there were some on my toast; )

  4. Michaela

    Thank you, Deb. I’m glad to be back writing and blogging again. It’s so good to hear warm and welcomimg hellos from my online friends. Wish you were here to share the golden goodness! ♥️

  5. Deb Weyrich-Cody

    That would be really awesome! And I could observe how to make marmalade (by assistance – the best way to learn and my favourite; )

  6. Michaela

    I’m very much a learn-by-doing person as well. Or maybe it’s learn by tasting? Also, feeling the urge to get back to teaching again. I miss doing spring garden seminars. You can take the girl out of the dirt, but I guess . . . ??? xxx

  7. Deb Weyrich-Cody

    Yes, yes indeed! Learning by using all of our senses gives so much more to recall, doesn’t it?: ) Glad you’ve had respite and regeneration! Hmm… Now doesn’t that give pause as to how old the idea of “R & R” might actually be, lol? But I too am feeling the urge to get outside and start digging… True Spring seems to be taking forEVER this year, doesn’t it? Seems we’ve been on hold WEEKS now. However, the Maple Syrup Producers are totally loving this weather, so I guess we must all share, hey?; )
    Now going back to refresh my senses with your enlivening Calamondin photos…
    take care M! xox

Comments are closed.