Winter time means citrus time and we couldn't be happier. Staying healthy during winter can seem nearly impossible and sometimes we just want some fresh fruit! Packed with vitamin C, we love being able to stuff ourselves full of citrus. But there are so many different kinds! Grapefruits, mandarins, minneolas, oranges, how are we to know which one we want to peel and eat? Here's a helpful guide with some of the citrus you might receive in your box or available for customs.
Pomelo
The pomelo is one of our favorite choices when craving that grapefruit flavor because it's mostly sweet, with a slightly tart grapefruit-like flavor. For those of you who aren't grapefruit fans or dislike the tartness of most grapefruits, we recommend trying a pomelo. Typically, the flesh of the pomelo is white, but they can range from pink to red, too, depending on the variety. The Chandler is the red variety and the Tahitian is the pale. PS: The reason we call it a "Pomelo Grapefruit" is so people know that a pomelo tastes similar (though sweeter!) to a grapefruit.
Ruby Grapefruit
A cross between a sweet orange and a pomelo, a Ruby grapefruit is another good choice for eating or juicing, though they are more tart than pomelos. They're especially delicious sprinkled with some sugar and broiled. Try our Broiled Grapefruit recipe here. We also like putting grapefruit slices in salads or juicing them -- especially mixed in with some other citrus when we want a sweeter orange flavor with a little kick.
Cara Cara Orange
Also known as a pink navel, a Cara cara orange tastes like a sweet, juicy navel orange (which makes sense because they're a cross between different navel orange varieties). We love these for eating as a simple snack, but they're so pretty we also like to put them in salads, water pitchers or fruit salads where they can really stand out.
Minneola
Also known as tangelos, these tangerine/grapefruit crosses taste like a mild, slightly sweeter orange. They're most recognizable by the little ball shape at the stem and have a looser flesh, which makes them easier to peel than most oranges. They can be substituted for oranges in most recipes and are also a great snack.
Navel Orange
Did you know oranges are a cross between a pomelo and a mandarin? The classic orange best for eating (they're less juicy than Valencia oranges), the navel is easier to peel than most oranges and has that typical orange flavor we're looking for. An important thing to remember with oranges (and all citrus, but primarily oranges) is that toward the end of the summer, citrus will re-green because the trees push chlorophyll back out to them. So even though they're green, they're actually ripe and good to eat.
Clementines
Don't judge this wrinkly clementine by its cover until you've tasted it! Like a sweet, super-flavorful orange, we love snacking on these little gems because certain varieties are seedless and all are a dream to peel. Technically, a clementine is a variety of mandarin. And just to make things more confusing, mandarins are also sometimes called tangerines.
Satsuma Mandarins
Most of the mandarins we grow on the farm are Satsuma mandarins. Similar to a clementine, they taste like a slightly sweet, slightly tart orange. They're seedless and easy to peel, making them ideal for snacking and juicing.
Do you have any citrus questions? Let us know in the comments below!
How To Add Citrus To Your Delivery: CSA members - head on over to our online Farm Stand Market to customize your upcoming delivery. On the second page of customizations, you’ll find “Produce by the Case” and can stock up if you want a larger batch of citrus for juices. The Market is open from noon on Thursday until 10 am, 2 days before your scheduled delivery day. After you confirm your produce items, click the orange button "Confirm and Continue To Other Farm Products" to add the products to your delivery.
Not part of our farm family? Find out if we deliver to your neighborhood.
