While in Napa last weekend I gathered a few handfuls of kumquats from our friend’s grandmother’s tree. My own grandmother had a small potted kumquat tree and growing up I loved to pop the so sweet/so sour little citrus in my mouth. I thought they were the prettiest little fruit ever – and I still do! But apparently British youngsters feel it is just too old-fashioned (see “Marmalade makers getting out of a jam“). The result? A campaign to remake the marmalade image into a more appealing “jamalade.” What!? Parents, just tell your kids that marmalade was Paddington Bear’s favorite food and they’ll eat it up.

I’m making kumquat marmalade – yes, marmalade, not jamalade – and will share a jar with my friend as a “thank you” for letting me pilfer from their tree. I found a couple of recipes: one with oranges and no pectin, the other with all kumquats and one packet of pectin. Since I also swiped some oranges from their trees I’m going to try both recipes. I’ve never made marmalade so I’m curious to see how the batch without pectin will turn out.

Stay tuned for the final product…

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