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Marmalade Search Brings Back Sweet Memories

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By JEFF HOUCK

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 23, 2008

Elaine Bolack of Lutz wrote last week for a kumquat marmalade recipe similar to one her grandmother used to make with fruit from her backyard tree in Miami.

I shared with her my childhood memory of not cooking kumquats, but throwing the ripe ones in a neighbor's yard.

"My brother and I threw a lot of them, too!" Bolack replied. "Let's just say there were two trees, and they were enormous!

"My grandmother used to make vats of kumquats," she writes. "She would put them in old instant coffee jars. I remember the Nescafe jars, red lids with the white star on them, and sealed with aluminum foil. We would drive back up North with a carload of kumquats and other treasures and divide them up amongst the aunts, uncles and cousins. My mom would hide the kumquats in the refrigerator we had in the basement. They were that good!"

One of our longtime regular contributors, Joan M. Holshue of Apollo Beach, sent in her favorite kumquat marmalade recipe for Bolack.

It may not be the recipe that she wants," Holshue e-mailed, "but this one is very good."

Give that woman a gold kumquat. She has earned it.

Pickle Frenzy

Reader Kathi Williams' request for Icebox Pickles has unleashed what can only be described as a recipe avalanche. Dozens of RL&F fans have written and e-mailed to share their favorite recipes.

Karen Bertetto of Sebring sent in her recipe for Freezer Cucumbers

"I have never added any other spices or the green peppers, but the peppers sound like a good idea, if they are sliced very thin," she notes. "These pickles remind me of the bread and butter pickles my mother made when I was a child."

Marcia Corso of Spring Hill shared her recipe for Cold Cured Pickles.

"It's not the recipe that was asked for, but I have made these many times," Corso says. "They are delicious. They taste very much like Claussen's pickles."

We won't tell Claussen if you won't, Marcia.

Judy Weichmann sent a recipe for Frozen Cucumber Slices that looks pretty refreshing, too.

Leftover Requests

Diana Boggs of Tampa still wants to make Ruby Tuesday's croutons.

Elizabeth Walker of Sebring continues her search for a refrigerated pie recipe that uses crushed Brazil nuts for crust, regular meringue and creamy custard filling flavored with vanilla rum.

KUMQUAT MARMALADE

1 cup crushed pineapple

11/3 cup orange juice

1 package Sure-Jell

51/2 cups chopped kumquats
5 cups sugar

Mix pineapple, orange juice, Sure-Jell and seeded kumquats together to make 8 cups. Bring to a rolling boil. Add sugar and boil for 10 minutes. Seal in jars and process in hot water for 10 minutes.

FREEZER CUCUMBERS

2 quarts of sliced cucumbers, unpeeled

1 medium onion, sliced thin and then sliced in half

2 tablespoons of salt

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of cider vinegar

Mix together cucumbers, onion and salt.

Let stand for 2 hours. Drain well. Thoroughly rinse off salt.

Stir in sugar and cider vinegar. Mix well.

Refrigerate overnight - or pack into plastic bags or containers and freeze.

COLD CURED PICKLES

4 to 5 pounds fresh unwaxed, unblemished small to medium cucumbers (Kirby variety)

1 bunch of fresh dill (about 3 ounces)

10 whole peppercorns

3 cloves of garlic, smashed (I use about 5)

2 quarts water (8 cups)

2 cups white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup salt

Wash and drain cucumbers. Stuff cucumbers into a hot, sterile, wide-mouth jar. Add the dill, peppercorns and garlic. In a large pot, combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Pour hot vinegar mixture over the cucumbers to cover, leaving 1/4-inch head space in the jar. Run a sterile knife or thin-blade spatula around the inside wall of the jar to remove any air bubbles that, if trapped, might discolor the food. Wipe jar rim with a clean, hot cloth as needed. Seal. Refrigerate for at least three days before using. Pickles will keep, refrigerated, for up to six months. Makes one gallon.

FROZEN CUCUMBER SLICES
2 quarts unpeeled, sliced cucumbers

2 tablespoons salt

1 large or medium onion, sliced

11/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cider or white vinegar

Mix cucumbers, salt and onion and let stand 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

After 2 hours, put mixture into colander and let drain. When drained, add sugar and cider (or vinegar) and mix well until sugar is dissolved. Put into freezer cartons.

Note: The liquid may look sparse, but when frozen, it will cover slices.

Looking for a recipe? Write to Jeff Houck, The Tampa Tribune, P.O. Box 191, Tampa FL 33601; or e-mail jhouck@tampatrib.com. Recipes are not tested. Keyword: Recipes, for more recipes and to see our online archive.

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