Citrus Season: Oranges

Happy New Year!

Apologies for the posting-gap....

So, if you haven't noticed, the Midwest is a cold, barren, arctic wonderland at the moment and unless you are lucky enough to have a local aquaponics, hydroponics or 4-season greenhouse in your locality there isn't much to say about local produce.

By this time you might be growing bored of potatoes, root-storage veggies, and winter squash, huh?  Well, lucky for us, our beloved California, Florida and Texas are full-swing in the midst of their citrus season.

Not excited?  Well, now and only now is your prime chance to grab a variety of orange-tinted orbs and do some homework.  Here is a little guide:

ORANGES

The common orange in grocery stores is the Valencia which does not have a navel and is available all year round -- primarily in season in the summer.  It is more difficult to peel, but contains lots of sweet liquid and used often for juicing.

Navels include the common sweet Navel (just seasonal in our wintertime, easier to peel than Valencia, enjoyed often in sections, less juicy so not preferential for juicing)

and also the amazing Cara Cara (pinkish interior with a hint of super sweet grapefruit flavor!)

and the kool-aidish, crowd-pleaser, the Blood Orange (which makes an impressive colored marmalade!!).

HOW TO SELECT AN ORANGE

• For pretty much all citrus you want to ensure there is no brown scabbing (which spreads and ruins the flavor, primarily seen on lemons and limes).
• No soft spots which will only get softer...
• NAVELS: You want to select one that has a smaller navel opening because the size is correlated to the thickness of the pith.  The larger the navel opening, the thicker the pith, the smaller the juice sacks and therefore the less fruit you get to enjoy.
• Look for a dark, uniform, deep mature coloring.  For oranges, the oranger the better in the case of Navels -- no green!  BUT not necessarily so for the Valencia!  Why?  Well Valencia's can be left on the tree for a longer period of time, specifically throughout the summer, before being harvested.  The increased exposure to light and photosynthesis means that chlorophyll from the tree might actually leak back into the fruits.  So a greenish Valencia might actually be riper than a dark orange one -- but it might not...
• The most useful tip I've picked up on is to compare the weights of your desired citrus specimens.  If you pick up two similar sized oranges of the same variety -- and one is heavier -- that one contains more liquids, more juices, more sweetness!

Now, to decifer the differences between mandarins, tangerines, clemintines and satsumas!  Oh my!