On the first day, scrub all of your citrus well.  Using a vegetable peeler, carefully remove the peel from your chosen variety of citrus making sure not to get the white pith with it.  It’s okay if you end up getting a bit of pith with the peels because you will be soaking everything overnight to help break it down.  Once you have removed all of the peel, carefully slice it into thin strips, then add it to your jam pot.  The best pots for jam-making are wide and relatively shallow.

Next, cut the citrus fruits in half and juice them, making sure to reserve the seeds and halves.  Add the juice to the pot with the peels.  Put the reserved seeds, the lemon halves, and 4 of the halves of your chosen citrus fruit into a few layers of cheesecloth (4 layers will do), then tie the bundle closed with a bit of twine.  Add the bundle to your pot along with the water, then set it over medium high heat and bring it to a boil.  Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce it to a simmer (medium low) and cook it until the peels are soft.  This should take between 30 and 45 minutes.  When the peels are soft, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool a bit before covering it and placing it in the fridge to rest overnight.

On the second day, remove your jam pot from the fridge.  Remove the cheesecloth bundle and set it aside in a bowl, then carefully measure out the contents of your jam pot in a large measuing cup.  You will need to add ¾ cup of sugar for every cup of juice/peels you have.  Add the sugar,the juice/peels, and your bundle of seeds back to the pot.  At this point you can add your flavorings (the fresh ginger goes directly into the pot while the tea, lavender, or whole spices would go in a separate cheesecloth bundle to keep them out of the final product).

Return your jam pot to the stove over medium heat.  You will need to cook the marmalade, stirring occasionally, while it reduces down.  As it is cooking, it will produce a lot of foam on the surface which you will need to skim off with a spoon and discard.  Cook the marmalade until it thickens and gels, which will take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour.  To test the gel of the marmalade, place a small amount on a plate and put it in the freezer for about a minute.  After a minute check and see if it wrinkles when you nudge it.  If it wrinkles, it’s ready.  If it runs, it’s not ready and must be cooked longer.

Once the marmalade is ready, remove the cheesecloth bundle(s) with a pair of tongs, making sure to squeeze any of the excess marmalade out.  If you wanted to use bourbon as a flavoring, now would be the time to stir it in. Discard the cheesecloth bundle, or compost it.  Carefully fill your sterilized jars, then either process them in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, or let them cool a bit before placing them in the fridge. Canned marmalade that properly seals can be stored at room temperature and used within a year. If you skipped canning and placed your marmalade in the fridge, use it within a couple of months.