Hi all,

I have a few trees in the backyard that produce sour oranges. A large
number of them have started ripening, so I thought that it would be
nice to make a batch of marmalade. I have made jam and preserves
before, but I've never made jelly or marmalade, and I have several
questions (please bear with me!). First, I started browsing recipes,
and I've found that there are several different techniques:

a) Simmer whole oranges and scoop out the pulp
b) Cut oranges into wedges and simmer
c) Simmer the orange juice

Does anyone recommend/caution against any of these techniques? Second,
I just have wild sour (bitter?) oranges growing in the yard, can I
substitute these in a recipe that calls for Seville oranges? Third, I
do not have a jelly bag, does anyone know where I'd find one
(Williams-Sonoma perhaps?) or how I could make one? One recipe
suggested instead of a jelly bag running the cooked pulp through a
sieve and then a piece of cloth, is this a good approximation, and if
so, what sort of cloth should be used? Lastly, do you recommend the
use of pectin or just sugar? And what sort of ratio of fruit to sugar?
I would prefer a ratio expressed in terms of cups of fruit or number
of oranges rather than weight, as the fruit is in my backyard and I do
not have a scale at home.

Many thanks,
Erica