Marmalade time!

[Curalach]

I think there are probably as many recipes as there are marmalade makers.

The recipe I have been using for about 16 years is very similar to arancie33's. It does seem to need much longer in the rolling boil than the recipe suggests, though not much different from arancie's, but I am reluctant to change something that works well and produces a good result.

[Dave2002]

We've had marmalade for years. I fetch the jars out of the garage!

We've had varying success. One year we managed to get something like Araldite. Couldn't even wash out the marmalade from the jars - just had to throw them away. Other years we've had runny marmalade. Mostly we get something that works, but it's not totally predictable. Usually have two or three varieties - dark, light, maybe whisky flavoured. I think we also had mixed citrus - orange and lemon, or maybe even lime, on occasions.

We tried pink grapefruit marmalade. Seemed a good idea, but totally bland and almost flavourless. You might say it had a delicate and subtle flavour, but flavourless would describe it better for most people. Don't waste time on that one.

[Warwick]

Haven't had marmalade for years, I have become so addicted to having honey on toast and cereals.
Though I do like the orangey bit in Jaffa cakes.

[Flosshilde]

I didn't make any Seville orange marmalade this year - there was a story in the Guardian that said that the compounds (is that the right term?) in grapefruit that affect some drugs has also been found in other citrus fruits, including Seville oranges. I couldn't find any other information, including whether cooking destroyed them, so I decided to be better safe than sorry. (although I'm still eating last year's stock ). I've just seen that my greengrocer has some blood oranges in, so I'm going to try blood orange & lemon marmalade - I'm hoping it'll be a nice pink colour.

[Ferretfancy]

I didn't make any Seville orange marmalade this year - there was a story in the Guardian that said that the compounds (is that the right term?) in grapefruit that affect some drugs has also been found in other citrus fruits, including Seville oranges. I couldn't find any other information, including whether cooking destroyed them, so I decided to be better safe than sorry. (although I'm still eating last year's stock ). I've just seen that my greengrocer has some blood oranges in, so I'm going to try blood orange & lemon marmalade - I'm hoping it'll be a nice pink colour.

Flosshilde

Life is for living. If there are any noxious compounds in grapefruit you would probably have to make them your main diet before any bad effect occurred.

I made a batch of Seville orange marmalade in January, and froze a batch which I have just defrosted to make a second amount which should see us through to the end of the year, ( Once made it needs time to mature ) It's a sticky job, but made easier by using the microwave.

With blood oranges it would be a good idea to boil the pips for the pectin to get a good set.

[Flosshilde]

I agree with the sentiment, Ferret, but the grapefruit compound interferes with the drug I take for my heart & renders it basically ineffective. While my heart condition isn't life-threatening (they say), it is life-interfering, so I'd rather not put obstacles in the way of the drugs dealing with it .

[amateur51]

I agree with both Ferret and Flossie. Grapefruit interferes with a statin that I take but a friend has recently given me a jar of her home-made seville orange and lemon marmalade. I have it on toast once a week and it's wonderful - no side-effects noted as yet - delicious!

[mercia]

the grapefruit compound interferes with the drug I take for my heart & renders it basically ineffective

not wishing to scare-monger I think it may be even more serious than rendering the drug ineffective - if I've understood correctly the "furanocoumarins" in grapefruit and other citrus fruit stop the particular drugs breaking down properly making it the equivalent of an overdose with some extremely serious consequences

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit_drug_interactions

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN00413

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20497086

[Flosshilde]

Yes, that is what I understand as well. Essentially it increases the take-up of the drug which paradoxically makes it a) less effective & b) means that it isn't eliminated from the body as effectively, hence the toxic build-up.

The story I saw also mentioned limes & pomelos as also being a problem. I think it's the skin that is the offender in them & in Seville oranges, whereas it's the whole thing with grapefruit. It didn't give any reference to the research report, & I couldn't find it on the web. It does irritate me that the on-line versions of such stories don't include a link to the report - easily done, I would have thought (although many of them - ie stories - are probably based on a press release rather than the report itself).

Edit: Pomelo (the Asian fruit which was crossed with an orange to produce grapefruit). I didn't know that.

[Flosshilde]

I agree with both Ferret and Flossie. Grapefruit interferes with a statin that I take but a friend has recently given me a jar of her home-made seville orange and lemon marmalade. I have it on toast once a week and it's wonderful - no side-effects noted as yet - delicious!

Probably once a week doesn't do any great harm, but on the other hand by the time you notice any side-effects it might be too late!

[mercia]

apparently "sweet" oranges [which are they ? ] don't contain the relevant substance - can one make marmalade from sweet oranges ?

[Nick Armstrong]

Grapefruit

Not sure if this merits an extra thread as its a tad OT, but pink grapefruit are part of my weekend ritual. Don't especially like white ones or red ones, but the fragrant taste of the pink ones, usually from Florida, I love and it's always a bit sad when (like this weekend) there were none to be found and one has to fall back on the juice only. (I'm amazed at the effect on drugs, though as I happily don't have to take any of the latter it's luckily an academic amazement touch wood)

(I've moved this thread to the Refreshment Room which didn't exist when it began)

[mercia]

now that I've thought about it, if there was any danger to people on heart medication eating citrus marmalade wouldn't there be big warning signs on jars of Frank Cooper thick-cut in supermarkets ?

[Anna]

now that I've thought about it, if there was any danger to people on heart medication eating citrus marmalade wouldn't there be big warning signs on jars of Frank Cooper thick-cut in supermarkets ?

I'm not sure that a bit of marmalade on toast is so harmful in moderation, it's eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice that is the danger. But, if you were to label everything that interacted with drugs you'd have to put stickers on lettuces and other vegs high in Vitamin K (which interact with Warfarin) and also cranberries and their juice has an adverse effect on some statins or heart drugs I think. I would assume those on medication have been told what to avoid?
Re your query about making marmalade with sweet oranges - no reason why not but Sevilles are chosen because they are high in pectin and have that sharp bitterness. You might have to add commercial pectin to get a set and I think it might turn out too sweet, more like an orange jam.

[Ferretfancy]

now that I've thought about it, if there was any danger to people on heart medication eating citrus marmalade wouldn't there be big warning signs on jars of Frank Cooper thick-cut in supermarkets ?

It's hard to find decent marmalade on the supermarket shelf, as it's usually too sweet and full of glucose syrup and so called gelling agent. Tiptree Tawny Orange isn't bad, but you are better off if you make your own.
Incidentally there are several recipes online if you want to use sweet oranges. Just Google.