
Photo by Cynthia Hochswender
There’s an apocryphal story about marmalade that says the sugary citrus jam got its name from Mary, Queen of Scots (the famous Mary from the 1500s, who was a cousin to Queen Elizabeth). Supposedly, the future queen was ill and her grandmother’s cook, who had a large supply of citrus fruit on hand, was trying to find something to tempt her to eat.
“Marie est malade,” he kept muttering in French (Mary is ill) as he tried out confections, ending up with the one that became known as “marmalade.”
The name actually comes from the Portuguese word for quince, which was originally the fruit used to make marmalade.
Over the centuries, what we have come to know as marmalade is usually made from citrus fruit, particularly oranges.
There is no realistic way to make it seem like marmalade is healthy, other than that it’s made from the peels and juice of citrus fruit (which are healthy, especially now, in the middle of winter). But like all fruit preserves, marmalade is made with a lot of sugar.
So, healthwise it’s hard to recommend marmalade. But in the COVID-19 quarantine world, if we all began baking bread last spring, then why not continue to entertain ourselves in quarantine by learning to make fruit preserves, which go so nicely with bread? And since it’s winter, the fruit in greatest abundance is citrus.
Worth the effort
Making marmalade is a lot of work, perhaps more than the average fruit preserve; but the color and flavor can definitely brighten up a gray winter morning and give you a reason to get out of bed.
For Christmas, my friend in Seattle gave me a copy of a book by a local chef (Yossy Arefi) called “Sweeter off the Vine.” It’s divided by seasons and many of the winter recipes involve citrus; and for some reason the marmalade recipe really reached out to me.
I made a batch. I wouldn’t do it every week, but it’s delicious and I recommend it if you have several hours to devote to lavishing attention on a few pounds of citrus.
The recipe calls for blood oranges and Meyer lemons, which I found at a Trader Joe store last week. You can use any citrus, even clementines or grapefruit. The blood oranges of course add spectacular color; and the Meyer lemons (which you can often find at Stop & Shop in North Canaan at a reasonable price) have a much softer, thinner skin that’s easier to work with. Whichever fruit you use, the thinner the skin and the plumper the fruit, the easier and more delicious your marmalade will be.
Not sugar-free
This recipe calls for 2 pounds or about nine blood oranges; 1 pound or about four Meyer lemons; one regular lemon; and 5 cups of sugar (yes, it’s a lot).
You’ll note that you don’t need to use pectin in this recipe, but you will want to get citrus fruit that has seeds in it (the pectin is in the seeds).
This will make lot of jam, so you’ll want to use canning jars with fresh sealing lids to preserve it. I use the 4-pint Ball jar known as the 125. I filled about six of them, and had about 2 cups of jam left to put in a regular jar that I did not “preserve.”
Before you get going on the fruit, either clean the jars in your dishwasher so they’re hot and sterile or boil them for 10 minutes.
You’ll need a very large, clean pot for boiling the jars after they’ve been filled; a clean funnel; some paper towels; and if possible a pair of canning tongs to lift the jars.
The tedious preparation of the fruit
Scrub your fruit and then use a juicer to get all the juice and most of the membrane out of the fruit.
Toss out the membrane but keep all the seeds.
Save the juice, of course.
After juicing, you should have a couple dozen half rounds of citrus. I cut each half round into three pieces and then used a sharp knife to carefully slice away the bitter white pith on the inside of the peel.
It’s tedious but necessary; do it while you listen to a podcast or watch a movie. The less bitter, spongy pith on your peel, the better your marmalade will taste.
The next step is equally tedious: You need to take your scraped peels and slice them as thin as possible, as thin as blades of grass or hay. Don’t worry about the length; long strands are actually kind of pretty.
Boil the rinds
If you have an InstantPot, now is the time to get it out: You need to boil the peel strips in 2 quarts of water (8 cups) until they’re tender and almost translucent — which can take up to an hour if you do it on your stovetop.
If you have an InstantPot, combine the water and peels and cook them on high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release the pressure. If you don’t, use a large nonreactive pot and boil them lightly until they’re ready. You’ll need about 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid, so keep an eye on the pot and make sure you don’t boil away all the liquid. That’s one advantage of the InstantPot: Your liquid won’t boil away.
When they’re tender and almost translucent, rinse the peels in cool water to stop them from cooking any more.
At this point your jars should be clean and hot and ready to take out of the dishwasher; put them on a cookie sheet and put them in a 200 degree oven, so they’re warm when the jam is ready: If you put hot jam in a cool jar, the glass will crack.
The next two steps have to be done on the stovetop. First, take your giant pot and fill it with enough that your jars will be submerged. Start it boiling so it’s ready for canning as soon as the marmalade is done cooking. Once it’s boiling, reduce it to a simmer.
In a large pot that has a ceramic or other nonreactive surface, combine the citrus peels, the citrus juice (from way back in step one), the sugar, the citrus seeds (tie them up tightly in cheesecloth) and 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
Bring it all to a rolling boil (very big bubbles but not foaming) and keep cooking for about 30 minutes. At this moment, it’s great to have a cooking thermometer, to check when it reaches 220 degrees.
If you don’t have a thermometer, put some spoons in your freezer and then test a spoonful of marmalade at a time by putting it in the freezer for a few minutes to see if it gels up. I don’t personally find this method works very well but …
In which we say ‘carefully’ again and again
Once your marmalade is done, turn off the stove and take your tray of canning jars out of the oven.
Carefully spoon the jam into the jars, leaving a quarter inch of air at the top. Wipe the top and sides of the jars carefully with a wet paper towel; if there’s jam overflow, your jars won’t seal.
Carefully place your jars in the simmering water in your big pot. You don’t want them to tip because you don’t want any jam to spill on your jar, which could keep the jar from sealing.
In a perfect world, you should have a trivet at the bottom of your big canning pot so your jars don’t touch the pot surface, which can cause them to break. This sounds much fussier and harder than it actually is; I didn’t use a trivet and I did tip my jars over as I was putting them in the pot, and it was fine — but it’s possible that I just got lucky.
Return the heat to high so your water is boiling vigorously again, then boil your filled jars for 10 minutes.
Remove them carefully and set them down in a spot that’s relatively not sunny and relatively cool, which at this time of year is pretty much anyplace in my kitchen. Don’t move the jars for 12 hours, so you don’t ‘“break” the set of the marmalade or the seal on the jars.
If at the end of that time the lids aren’t sealed, clean the lids and jars again and boil them again for another 10 minutes. If your marmalade didn’t set, I suppose you could pour it all back in a clean pot and boil it down some more.
I always feel like preserving jars of food is very intimidating and time consuming, but it really is very easy. You just boil your jars for 10 minutes. Done. But it does help if you prepare your jars correctly and have the right tools. If you want to learn more about canning, go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation website at https://nchfp.uga.edu.
The Jan. 7 print edition of The Lakeville Journal and Millerton News had a recipe error. It said the marmalade should be kept at a rolling boil with "very big bubbles but foaming.” It should have said, “but not foaming."
Mickey Stringer of of North East, left, checks in with Chris Virtuoso, volunteering on Saturday, May 12 at the Old Town Garage on South Center Street as a Climate Smart Task Force member. Stringer’s loaded pickup was part of a long line of vehicles along South Center as residents used the opportunity to dispose of air conditioners, mattresses, lumber, and other bulk items. Town Supervisor Christopher Kennan said he didn’t recall seeing such a long line of vehicles in past years.
Webutuck valedictorian Olivia Lopane Wickwire
AMENIA — Well-positioned to move into her college years, Olivia Lopane Wickwire, 17, of Millerton has earned top ranking as Valedictorian of the Webutuck High School Class of 2025. Her devotion to a well-rounded school experience began with her enrollment in Webutuck’s pre-K program.
“It means a lot being valedictorian, especially being best friends with your salutatorian,” Olivia said during an interview on Thursday, April 3. Her friend, Gissel Oros, had been named Salutatorian.
“You know your friend realizes how hard it was to get where you are today. It’s very important to me that other people don’t think it’s an easy thing. Gissel understands what it was like to get here and we did it together.”
Olivia has served as the president of the National Honor Society and co-president of the senior class.
“Good time management is important, along with persistence and dedication,” is Olivia’s advice to all students, but particularly those who will begin as high school freshmen in the fall.
Developing leadership skills has been an important focus for Olivia, exemplified by her service to the community.
“Ever since I was young, I never wanted to be a follower; I wanted to be a leader,” Olivia said. “I just love being able to lead people in the right way and I like being an example and good role model for people.”
Olivia appreciated the small school population at Webutuck and the helpfulness of the teaching staff and the students. Her advice to any entering freshman was to “advocate for yourself.”
Olivia has served as a member and current Treasurer of the high school Climate and Culture Club that works to build morale and nurture the school’s environment. The club organized a Wellness Day in 2024 and administers the program that selects Students of the Month.
Sports have also been a focus for Olivia. She competed on the varsity boys’ golf team and the varsity girls’ softball team, serving as softball team captain. She is a member of the Student Council and Environmental Club.
Outside of school, Olivia volunteers in both the food pantry and the Early Learning Program at the North East Community Center in Millerton.
Planning to study biochemistry at Marist University, Olivia described her relationship with her grandmother, Petrina S. Lopane, who lost her husband at a young age to cancer. Her grandmother’s story motivates her toward a career in medical research.
“She’s my everything; she has inspired me,” she said of her grandmother’s important influence.
Olivia is the daughter of Craig Wickwire and Petrina Lopane of Millerton.
Gissel OrosPhoto provided
AMENIA — Having attended the Webutuck school system since enrolling in Kindergarten, Gissel Oros, 18, of Amenia excelled in her studies from the start, serving as a role model for others, culminating in being named Salutatorian of the Webutuck High School Class of 2025.
“It means a lot to have my best friend, Olivia [Lopane Wickwire], as valedictorian because she understands we worked hard to get where we are now,” Gissel said during an interview on Thursday, April 3.
“Both girls are certainly representative of the school, more than just academically,” said Robert Knuschke, high school principal. “They are involved in many activities, clubs, community service and are very active in leadership roles. There is a reason why they’re the valedictorian and salutatorian; it’s because they’ve put the extra time in.”
Gissel has served as co-president of the senior class and vice president of the National Honor Society.
“Stay on top of your work and be sure to hand work in on time. Don’t wait until the last minute,” Gissel said when asked for her advice to young students just beginning their high school years.
Engaged with the community, Gissel volunteers in the food pantry and early learning program at the North East Community Center in Millerton. Her work has included food delivery for those unable to visit in person, re-stocking supplies and helping with the coat and clothing drive.
Gissel competed on the varsity boys’ golf team and as a member of the varsity girls’ softball team.She is also a member of the Student Council and environmental club.
About leadership, Gissel said, “I’ve always been a follower, but as I’ve grown, I’ve seen it’s more important to be a leader.”
Gissel plans to study Criminal Psychology and Law at the University of Albany. Her career goal was inspired by a criminal justice class she took with Webutuck teacher Douglas Matthews.
“I really enjoyed it. The further I got into the school year, the more I realized I wanted to do this,” she said.
“I’ve always had a passion for Criminal Psychology,” Gissel explained. “I just find it cool knowing how people’s brains work and function. With law, I want to help immigrants who don’t necessarily have someone to rely on. I want to be that person to help them through their legal issues.”
Gissel is the daughter of Arnulfo Oros and Elizabeth Martinez of Amenia.
“My parents have sacrificed so much for me,” Gissel said. “I want to be able to repay them and give them everything they still want.”
Greychurch on Main Street expects to begin Caffeine Academy creative classes by September.
MILLERTON — The Village of Millerton is on the move.
Two weeks ago Tallow, “Real Food, Real Fast” opened in the long vacant McDonald’s, and Mad Rose Gallery expanded next door to 3-5 Main Street to a larger gallery with arts classes and community space for performances and lectures upstairs. The newly painted Greychurch is a reminder that there’s still more to come.
Here’s a quick list.
The former Presbyterian Church on Main Street will become the Caffeine Academy with creative classes in the former Sunday school rooms and a community venue upstairs. Owner Alex That hopes to start offering classes by September.
The owner of 54 Main St., formerly Manna Dew, hopes to open a restaurant by the end of the summer with a new name, menu and expanded outdoor dining.
George Whalen III, President of the Bank of Millbrook, is predicting an opening of the bank’s Millerton branch at 110 Route 44 by the end of June if all goes as planned. The Bank of Millbrook purchased the property from Elizabeth’s Jewelry and Fine Gifts in October 2024 for $890,000.
The Millerton Supermarket is still undergoing renovation with an opening possible by September or October according to Kim Choe. The Choes, owners of the Sharon Market, purchased the former Grand Union in November 2024 for $1.75 million.
Demolition of the Village Department of Public Works on Route 22, which was destroyed by fire on February 3, 2025, is expected very soon, said Mayor Jenn Najdek. Once Dutchess County Health Department approves, a new temporary structure will be constructed to house the well and equipment of the Village Water Department.
A new pay-what-you-can food pantry on 56 South Center St., formerly Hathaway & Young, is planning on opening in the middle of June according to Linda Quella of Tri-Corner Feed. The building was sold for $582,000 in January 2025.
St Patrick’s Church on Church Street was closed ten years ago, but conducted a noontime mass in Irish, Spanish and English on St. Patrick’s Day. A celebration of Ascension Day is planned for May 29 in the burial ground conducted by Father Andrew O’Connor. Elyse Harney is spearheading an effort to reopen the church.
Elm Drive Elementary School in Millbrook.
MILLBROOK — Preparing for the village-wide vote on the proposed 2025-26 school budget scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, the Millbrook Central School District held a public hearing on Tuesday, May 6, to review the budget and hear residents’ comments.
The CSD proposed 2025-26 budget to be voted upon as Proposition 1, showed total expenditures of $35,649,651, an increase of $1,074,576 (3.11%) over the current year.
“We’re trying to trim as much as we can,” said Elliott Garcia, Assistant Superintendent for Business, during his budget summary.
Two additional propositions are included on the ballot, both anticipating a bond issue to fund repairs, renovations and improvements to school buildings.
Proposition 2 would bring repair to the Middle and High School buildings, with more work at the middle school estimated to cost $37,381,383. Work would include HVAC, electrical, window replacement, roof and ceiling repair, elevator service and doorway improvements.
The high school work would include HVAC at a total estimated cost of $1,883,099.
The total amount would, however, be reduced by $12 million in currently available funding, so that a bond issue would be needed to cover a total of $27,264,482, to be repaid over a number of years. Taxpayers would need to pay the annual interest on the bonds during the life of the bonds.
Separate funding of energy efficiency improvements at the middle school and high school would carry at total estimated cost of $3 million that would also need to be bond-financed, but that funding would return to the school budget in the form of energy cost savings.
Proposition 3 would bring HVAC, electrical and window replacement at the elementary schools at an estimated cost of $21,779,259, also to be financed by bond issue.
Students from the Middle School Student Council presented a report on a recent survey they conducted and analyzed. Their report was titled, “Repair Our School.”
For their building conditions study, the nine students conducted an in-school survey of students, teachers and staff, receiving 228 responses.
Interpreting the responses as percentages, the students reported that 90% indicated that the middle school does not look as good as it could; more than 80% said they were concerned about the state of the building; 67% had classes interrupted by roof leaks; 75% said it was difficult to learn because of the roof leaks; and 94% said that if the school were their home, they would not stay.
“Our student government never stops working,” said Principal Steven Cabello, adding that the students’ efforts have been invigorating.
School superintendent Caroline Hernandez-Pidala praised the students’ project, the time and care invested in their survey study and their reporting of the results.
“I’m super impressed,” Hernandez-Pidala told the students.
The May 20 polling location is at the Middle School, in the Band room adjacent to the auditorium. Polls will be open between noon and 9 p.m.
The proposed budget, details of the propositions and a copy of the ballot are posted on the CSD website at www.millbrookcsd.org.
Voters in two other school districts will decide on higher spending plans for the coming school year on Tuesday, May 20.
Webutuck Central School District and Pine Plains Central School District propose higher K-12 budgets for the 2025-2026 school year.
The proposed budget for Webutuck, with an enrollment of 637 students from K-12, shows a 5.96% increase from the previous year to $28,665,850. Pine Plains proposes spending $38,712,336, an increase of 2.71%.