candied orange peel gifts

It’s rainy and dreary outside here at the Delphine studio, but inside it’s cozy and warm as John and I package up last minute holiday gifts for friends of the studio. This year we picked oranges from the backyard and made candied orange peels. Mmmm. To make them I peeled the orange skins, blanched them, then boiled them in fresh water for an hour to soften, scraped away any remaining pith, simmered them in sugar syrup for an hour, then sanded them with sugar. Super delicious with a cup of espresso, which is how we plan on enjoying any leftovers.

I used our vintage Royal typewriter (a Christmas gift from John 11 years ago — he found it covered in dust in the corner of an antique shop in New Bern, North Carolina and restored it for me) to type labels for the packages of candied orange peel.

I was clickety-clacking so fast that John came in from the next room to tell me, “wow, you would have been a great secretary.” Humph.

 

I packaged the candied orange peels up in cute pale green party favor boxes I got from Michael’s a few years ago (by Martha Stewart). They are leftover from a baby shower I helped plan.

I saved about 3 cups of syrup that the oranges were simmering in. I think it would be yummy added to some sparkling water (or to a vodka martini). Any other ideas on how I can use it?

All photos by Erika Firm ©DELPHINE.

Comments

[Jen Rea]

These are so cute! I'm going have to try something like this at home. Sounds delicious with coffee!

[Tracie Valentino]

I think the vodka martini addition is spot on. No other ideas needed. Just use it for that. Y-U-M.

(A few years ago, my husband and I made our own strawberry vodka--it would be delish with that as well!)

[erika firm]

Thanks for your notes, Jen and Tracie.
Tracie, your strawberry vodka sounds totally delicious. We have wild strawberries in our backyard, too, so I'm filing that project away for next summer. Thanks for the idea!