Zombie Marmalade

By BH&G

This cocktail-inspired preserve will surely please any giftee this holiday season.

Ingredients

• 2 large pink grapefruits
• 1 orange
• 1 medium lime
• 1 1/3 c. water
• 1/8 t. baking soda
• 2 two inch sticks cinnamon, broken in half
• 1 t. whole cloves
• 5 c. sugar
• 1 (6 oz.) pkg. liquid fruit pectin
• 2 T. dark Jamaican rum
• 1 T. grenadine syrup

Instructions

1. Sterilize jars and prepare water bath for canning.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly peel off zest of each grapefruit, the orange, and the lime. If needed, use a sharp knife to scrape off the white portions of peels.  Cut peels into thin strips and coarsely chop. In a medium saucepan combine peels, the water, and baking soda. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Do not drain.
3. Meanwhile, section citrus fruits, reserving juices. Add fruit and juices to peel mixture; return to boiling. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes (you should have about 3 cups fruit mixture).
4. Place cinnamon and cloves in finely meshed metal tea ball.   In a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot combine spice bag, fruit mixture, and the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin. Return to a full rolling boil; boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Remove spice bag. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon. Stir in rum and grenadine syrup.
5. Ladle hot marmalade into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.
6. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.

This marmalade may take up to two weeks to set.

Yield: 6-7 half-pints

Now, for the pièce de résistance:  Make a cocktail.  Obviously, this is easier with a more “runny” marmalade so you can make this drink as soon as the marmalade cools.

Easy Zombie Cocktail

A holiday helper

Ingredients

• 2 t. Zombie Marmalade
• 1-2 shots of rum (your choice of variety)
• tonic water
• ice
• lime slice
• maraschino cherry

Instructions

1. Place marmalade and rum in a rocks glass. Stir.
2. Add tonic water and ice. Garnish with lime and cherry.
3. Enjoy!

Yield: 1 drink

If you’re busy wrapping presents and need a “holiday helper,” whip this up.

If it’s cold outside and you want to pretend you’re on a beach, pour yourself a drink.

If you want a delicious and colorful and inventive gift, make this marmalade.

If you’re not an imbiber, this stuff is delicious on toast, bagels, crackers, or simply on a spoon right out of the jar.

Use the smaller 4 oz. jars, wrap it up with a bottle of rum, some nice cocktail glasses and some tonic water for a do-it-yourself party gift.

What’s up next?

March
Spiced Merlot Jelly

April
Bloody Mary Jam

May
Whisky Sour Cocktail Marmalade

June
Aleppo-White Zinfandel Jelly

July
Cinnamon Coca-Cola Jelly

August
Jalapeno-Tequila Jelly

September
Limoncello Jelly

October
Cardamon-Orange Sparkling Riesling Jelly

November
Spiced Apple Beer Jelly

December
Mulled White Wine Jelly

Stay tuned!