the sticky orange stuff

I found myself inundated with oranges in the last few weeks (a good problem to have) so I was thrilled to see the orange themed January Martha on the stands and boldly tried the marmalade recipe. I have never made marmalade before. I like marmalade, I don't love it, but I like it a lot. One recipe called for a split vanilla bean and so I made that one, and now I do love it. A lot. Okay, can I just say I got a ridiculous thrill out of making this stuff? The 8 oranges made a ton of marmalade. More than I know what to do with. I have about 8 jars in the freezer. I gave some to mom and great grandpa, both of whom like marmalade, but not a lot of people do, so I think I will have a lot extra. Even my one good Canadian friend didn't help me out by taking a jar. Bad.

There's the vanilla bean—the sticks in there. So, you use the whole orange to make this, peel, rind and all— you just cook it with some sugar for a bit. That's it. I mean, read the recipe in the magazine, but that's really all there is to it. Amazing and so wonderfully frugal. Celebratory scones are in order.

I liked marmalade as a kid, at least I think I did, we never had it much in the house. My first introduction to marmalade was from the Paddington Bear books, which I haven't read since I was little. I need to revisit these, I have no copies in the house. I remember really liking them, but that's all.

And why are there no shops locally that carry the coolest canning jars ever, Weck jars? I am trying to get a great new baking shop to carry them here in town and I think I may have convinced them—I will report back.