Citrus season means marmalade and fresh baked goods to warm up with tea and embroidery. Seeing outstanding fashion come off runways and red carpets. Jennifer Lawrence in her Golden Globe flower dress won the internet this week, but grassroots marketing and word of mouth goes to Wuthering Heights which opens Valentines. Given that this comes out right at the end of peak orange season, Florida and California have to be thrilled at a British period show getting positive buzz. It really ties into the 1800s floral and fruit embroidery bead trend. Wonder if we’ll see some promotional deals with Sunkist or jam companies with actors to promote British and American swag? Most of the books from Jane Austin, etc. are in the public domain so someone with a sense of humor could also design various marmalades as part of their own marketing campaigns. Either at the national level or local theater rentals. The Tilted Stage here in Raleigh has plenty of period costumes to rent for $50-100/weekend if anyone wants to try it.
Both trends are also made for monthly meet-ups. Getting requests to restart Sewing Acts of Kindness Quarterly Sewing Bees for the community. Loved making free items for local women’s shelters, food pantries, and foster kids at schools, but got very burned out at the American Sewing Guild with picking projects that had easy pick-up or drop-off afterward. Loading and unloading hundreds of items in boxes after events personally makes or breaks it depending on distance. The Raleigh Convention Center, while really nice staff, has a horrible loading and unloading dock system under the venue that takes 30-45 minutes waiting in a line of vendors with almost no carts available to unload for the weekend. No more. By contrast, craft stores and cafes are GREAT! You can just pull-up to the door. When you have 10-20 sewing machines for a free event you don’t have to carry far, it makes a huge difference. Hand sewing is even BETTER because the little $5-20/kits can fit in a box and be easily moved to an empty space for easy set-up and break-down.
If you have any upcoming seed swap or plant sales that you are looking forward to in NC that you recommend, let us know as we are doing research. With the whole fantasy/British period dramas for 2026, kitchen gardens and vintage jam recipes that use honey, not sugar are delicious historical drama. It’s the type of fun thing you enjoy trying out on a random evening/Saturday with kids or family. Marmalade is easy to make and if refrigerator style, you don’t have to worry about boiling jars to can them. Below is an easy example of a 4 cups/2 pints recipe you can make yourself. Fancy citrus fruit is normally sold in 2 lb bags so 2 bags, 2 lemons, and a jar of honey…you’re good to go. 4 cups is enough to make 4 small jars or 2 medium jars which is enough to make for you and your family and have enough to try out a warm British or French baked scones or cookie recipe to impress people.
If you’re planning to do a Jane Austin period romance book swap or other fun event, honey is much cheaper in BULK at Costco, etc. Citrus comes in MANY different flavors and colors. You can make multiple small batches the evening before. Blood oranges, pink grapefruit, and tangerines all look really different. Happy eating!
Refrigerator Honey Marmalade (Makes 4 cups or 2 Pints) ~ Cook time 1 hr.
4 lbs oranges/mandarins
2 lemons
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups honey (16 oz. jar)
-
Grate colored part orange and lemon peel into 2 cups of water on stove for pectin. Boil 2-6 min. Pour off water, keep peel. The peel sets the marmalade when cool.
-
Peel white part of remaining oranges and lemons if necessary. Add slices.
-
Add cinnamon and salt.
-
Cook 40 min at simmer to reduce pulp juices.
-
Add honey.
-
Put in clean pints, cool, and store in the refrigerator to use within 3-4 weeks. Can be used in dessert recipes.