English Muffins and Orange Marmalade

OK, on the long list of things that I love there are a couple that stand out from the rest. The cook in me loves to try a new recipe and have it come out BANG! perfect on the first go. Not that I don't like to work hard, but it is SOOOOO rewarding when everything falls into place and you do something new and it is PERFECT. The Yankee in me loves making something that is easy and yummy and costs a fraction of what you pay for it. My tortillas I had to work on for a long time (perfect now, thank you for asking), but the cost differential (and taste differential) make me never ever able to buy them at the store again. Believe me, I have tried. I have never been able to get as far as picking them up. Oh well. Over the past month I made two things that I love (like on my top ten list of favorite things) that came out perfect, were really easy, and cost WAY less than if you buy them...but why would you? Bliss on every level. Try them yourself and you will see.

Oh, orange marmalade. Always and ever my favorite of the fruit based bread toppings, you are both bitter and sweet (like myself) and you make me so happy. I never EVER buy orange marmalade because it is too damn expensive. So I eat it at my mothers and steal little pots of it from hotels and restaurants, neither of which I go to often, so you can guess how often I eat it. I do understand that there are people out there who don't like it, to which I say "Good. More for me." Then James and I were OBSESSED one day with the thought of making it. So we did, right then and there...and this is what happened: PERFECTION.

Here is what you need:
5 large oranges....I used 6 Valencias, and the second batch I did with 12 Clementines.
2 Lemons
8 cups sugar
8 cups water
4 pint Mason jars

Things you may wish you had:
A mandolin
A candy thermometer (or not)

I myself would LIKE a mandolin, but I have a ceramic knife with which I can get 15 to 20 slices out of a lemon, so there you go. I HAD a candy thermometer, which I tried to use, that turned out to be severely impaired, so there you go. You can do it without, trust me.

Slice the oranges and the lemons in half the long way, then slice them again the other way as thin as you can. Take out any errant seeds as you go. put them in a pot with 8 cups of water, bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the sugar. Stir till it is dissolved, then cover it and let stand overnight. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 3 hours, boil hard for 20 minutes. At this point, check it with your candy thermometer (you are going for 220 degrees) or start testing out globs of it in the fridge until it is the consistency you want. Pour into hot jars (if they aren't hot, they are likely to break...think of how joyous a kitchen filled with broken glass and molten hot marmalade would be!) Thass it. SUPER AWESOME.

So then I gots to thinking: "What vehicle do I love BEST for my marmalade?" English muffins, of course. Of all bread products, my most favorite - the chewy crunchy nook and cranny filled awesome one. I looked them up, and go figure...if you can make pancakes, you can make english muffins, and believe me when I say that you have never had any as good as these. Whole nother level. Do not question me, just do it. The recipe comes courtesy of Julia Childs...in my research the recipes had lots of little variations (including ones that get baked in the oven..pssht.) I chose her because, well...do I have to tell you? IT"S JULIA FLIPPING CHILDS. she knows what she is doing. Or she did, anyway. Here it comes:

You will need:
1 packet yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
2 tablespoons of instant mashed potatoes dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt dissolved in 1/4 cup water

also a griddle or big non stick fry pan
english muffin rings (or tuna cans with both ends cut off, or, if you are like me and totally hooked up, big ass 4 inch aluminum rings so I can make sandwiches with mine.)

Mix the potato mixture with the milk and the yeast mixture. Add that to your flour. When I first did this it was WAY too dry...it should be like cupcake batter or wall paper paste. Just add water 1/4 cup at a time till it is thick and smooth...batter rather than dough. Let it rise for 1.5 hours (or so...less if its hot) Stir in the saltwater. "Beat vigorously" (Best line from a recipe EVAH. Thank you Julia.) Let rise another hour. I used my electric griddle cranked right up to 400 degrees or so. Water drops should boogie on that mother. Scoop the batter into the rings, so it is about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick when you start. Let cook for 6 minutes, until the batter on top has started to firm up...think pancakes, but longer. Flip 'em, let them cook for another minute or two, put on cooling rack. Burn your fingers as you try to slice them and jam them in the toaster while smoking hot off the grill. Suck on burny fingers while someone smarter than you lectures you on how you need to be patient. Apparently they freeze well, but I wouldn't know. Hot corn are these ever good. Everything that is magnificent about an english muffin in home made form. Wow. Thank me later.