We started with our Meyer lemon marmalade recipe from Maximum Flavor. It has been a foundational model for our marmalade making. Today I was not in the mood to pull out the pressure cooker for the process. I was also not in the mood to wait overnight to allow the citrus and sugar to macerate together, forming the syrup the fruit cooks in. Instead, I put our cut-up fruit blend of assorted citrus and an equal amount of sugar, 0.3% salt, vanilla paste, and a dash of cayenne into a large mixing bowl. I mixed everything together and let it macerate for several hours, until a thick syrup formed. I put the mixture into a large pot set on medium-high heat. I cooked the fruit, stirring often to dissolve the remaining sugar and make sure the fruit did not stick to the bottom of the pan. I turned the heat down to medium and cooked the mixture for about 30 minutes, maybe more, until the syrup registered 107°C. I turned off the heat and let the marmalade cool. I put the marmalade into jars and put it in the refrigerator. I had marmalade. Quickly. More quickly than the super quick method we had been using for years. I had fewer dishes. I was reminded of the importance of using a base recipe as a solid foundation and then knowing that the process can be improved upon. I was awakened to the idea that technology is useful but that relying on it can sometimes slow down the process.
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