I have been making, using and especially enjoying this marmalade for many years. It came out of my desire for something better than plain orange marmalade. I like tangerines, so the change was inevitable. This makes something you would most likely pay big money for at a specialty food shop; it is a bit of work, but well worth it. I have many times used a jar of this marmalade as a gift. I experimented with and altered the orange marmalade recipe from the box of pectin, and this is the best of those trials. I know our grandmothers might frown on using the pectin, but it simplifies things considerably.

Tangerines are in the markets from November through about February. They are increasingly sold using their varietal name, such as Fairchild or Dancy. If the signs in the produce department don't call a tangerine by its 'real name,' look on the fruit and see if it is on the sticker. They should be heavy for their size, with pebbly skin and no deep grooves. For this recipe I recommend 'Dancy', but most any will do. The small Clementine tangerines are not quite flavorful enough for me, but if you do use them let me know how things turn out. Remove any seeds by snipping the center of each segment and gently squeezing.

Remove colored part of fruit using a vegetable peeler; chop and set aside. Peel and discard remaining white part of peel from fruit. Place peels, baking soda and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place peeled fruit pulp with its juice in a blender and whirl at low speed for about 30 seconds. You don't want a puree - just well chopped. Pour into a large bowl and stir while looking for any stray seeds and set aside. Add blended mixture to the cooking peel and simmer another 10 minutes. You should have 4 cups cooked fruit mixture. If you want perfectly set jelly consistency, measure and use no more than the four cups. Place in 8 to 10 quart kettle and stir in the pectin. Add margarine to prevent foaming during cooking. Over high heat and stirring constantly, bring mixture to a FULL ROLLING BOIL (one that does not stop when stirred). Carefully but quickly add the sugar to fruit mixture. Return to a full rolling boil and boil exactly ONE MINUTE, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Immediately fill jars, leaving 1/8 inch headspace. Use a rubber glove: those jars get HOT. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. When processed in the boiling water bath this marmalade keeps for up to a year.