Citrus Rind Candy and Forks in the Road

(if any printed the recipe before 2/1, please note I put in the WRONG temp! which is such a typical thing for me to do, but anyway, it is corrected below -- candy to 235! NOT 135)

Here is one thing I know: I can cut an amazing amount of wood in an hour with a hand saw. At least I am always amazed at it. Doesn’t seem to matter how many times I’ve done it either. And people pay to go to gyms!

Here is another thing I know: Forks in the road matter. And another: It is never too late to correct course.

So, I was cutting wood and noticed the forks in the branches. I was reminded of quitting smoking years ago. I tried for years before I was successful and what I discovered was that quitting was not a single big decision but every time I wanted a cigarette I had to make a new decision whether or not to smoke. Quitting was a whole series of little decisions to not smoke.

Our lives, I think, are not any big decisions but the accumulation of little decisions. All those little decisions decide which general direction we are going in. And that is cumulative – changing a little all the time but a general direction, a general theme, emerges. We go about our lives. Every little decision doesn’t matter but the sum of them does. And when we discover a desire to change direction, there are a thousand opportunities to do so.


Much of the citrus the in-laws brought has been eaten. Round here any scraps feed the pigs but the citrus rinds make the most delectable human candy. Except you have to not be afraid of sugar! I always think of the magnificent phytochemicals that must be in the rinds and that are not often available to the body. I think of eating things like this as a form of chemotherapy for health. It is like when the cucumbers come in and we eat tons of cukes for awhile. There have been over 35 THOUSAND different phytochemicals identified in broccoli and no one really knows what any of them do alone, much less in concert with one another. I don’t need to identify what is in there, only enjoy it.


Citrus Rind Candy

Clean (get most of pulp out of rind, but doesn’t have to be perfect) any type of citrus rinds. You can freeze these until you have enough.

When you have about 14 – 16 oz. of rinds, cover with water, bring to boil, boil for 5 minutes. Pour water off.

Repeat 2 more times.

Rinds will be soft and swollen with water.

In a large skillet put 1 ½ Cups water with 2 ½ Cups Sugar. Stir, heating over high heat, until it reaches 230-235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add rinds, stirring to coat.

Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Most of sugar solution will be absorbed. After simmering an hour, uncover and let it reduce until solution is absorbed.

Put sugar on plate and roll each rind in sugar until covered. Lay on cake rack (or wax paper) for 12 to 24 hours, until dried. Outside should be dry but inside should still be moist. Put in airtight container.

Big rinded fruits, like grapefruit or navel oranges, make the most typical candy but thinner rinds can still be delicious although sometimes a bit chewier. Covering the rinds in sugar is messy – if you have children, this is a good and sweet job for them.

No goats still. Last time she had babies, I thought she was due a full month before she had them – and goats only have a gestation of 5 months! Cinnamon’s baby is very well. The hothouse has a door. It still has not thawed enough to bury the dog.