Oranges...What's Your Fave?

[weinoo]

Over in this week's eGullet food blog, A Tale of Two Boroughs, you can see that I often like to eat a cut up (or broken down, depending on your point of view) orange.

The oranges I've been cutting up lately have been Valencias, normally thought of as a juice orange. It's just that I find them a lot tastier than a navel orange. And a navel orange just doesn't cut up so neatly. It really works better peeled, but that can be a pain in the ass too.

Then there's the blood orange, which is beautiful, but at the price they get here, I generally don't buy.

So, which do you like best, and how do you eat your orange?

[Mjx]

I'm not big on oranges in general, but I love blood oranges; they actually have a flavour. I can easily eat half a dozen at a go. The price isn't too bad, here, but the almost criminally negligent treatment of fruit means there's almost guaranteed to be one rotting one per bag, which is depressing and revolting.

I just break them into sections, and eat them like that.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Mjx (log)

[natasha1270]

Cara Cara all the way! I drink oj all year but only eat oranges when the Cara Caras are in season. They are a sweeter navel orange, pink flesh and there is a hint of berriness to them.

[Darienne]

Blood oranges for me, although we do use Navel oranges too.

Navel Oranges for zest; peels for Orange Beef, peels for candied orange peels subsequently dipped in chocolate, oranges for smoothies, Orange Juleps (Montreal 1940s style).

Blood oranges for joy and color and taste. Mostly for joy!

[weinoo]

Cara Cara all the way! I drink oj all year but only eat oranges when the Cara Caras are in season. They are a sweeter navel orange, pink flesh and there is a hint of berriness to them.

I forgot about the Cara Cara. A relatively new variety, no?

Do you peel them, juice them, or cut 'em up?

[Dianabanana]

Blood oranges seem to have an awful lot of sulfur in their peels, the smell of which puts me right off them. Valencias taste good, but the inner membrane is so tough. I like the Cara Caras quite a bit, but I think my desert island orange would have to be a navel orange--but only organic. This is one produce item where I think the conventional/organic difference is striking.

[natasha1270]

All of the above, homemade arancello & dry the peels. Moro Blood oranges are very nice too.

[RWood]

Cara Cara all the way! I drink oj all year but only eat oranges when the Cara Caras are in season. They are a sweeter navel orange, pink flesh and there is a hint of berriness to them.

I forgot about the Cara Cara. A relatively new variety, no?

Do you peel them, juice them, or cut 'em up?

They are my fave for sure. I love them any which way . I made a Cara Cara sorbet once and it was so good. Mandarins and Blood Oranges are up there too.

[heidih]

I have navels, Valencias, and mandarins all juicy and beautiful on their trees now. It is kind of like being asked to pick your favorite child! Hands down the mandarin is the shining star for me with its fragrance and sweet tart "tangerine like" juice. The Valencia is a work horse for juice when I want a more "true" orange flavor. The navels are great in salads and for eating out of hand.

For eating out of hand I like to cut off the top and bottom, score sections and peel. I saw a young woman do it that way in France when I was a teen and was mesmerized. Her nails were bright red and she did not seem to get any pith under her nails or juice all over her hands. Sometimes I want to feel like a kid and will cut them into wedges, skin and all, and bite out the flesh. That tends to be a bit wasteful, but is enjoyable when they are super juicy and cold.

[Darienne]

All of the above, homemade arancello & dry the peels. Moro Blood oranges are very nice too.

Oh my! Never heard of Arancello before. Will have to make some. Do you have a favorite recipe? Too bad, we can't buy Everclear in Canada.

[kathryn]

I love Cara Cara oranges and eat them peeled. However, the ones I've been getting lately have that annoying center part where there's a ton of tiny segments stuck to the stem end.

Right now I'm eating a blood orange which we got on sale for $0.75/each last week from FreshDirect. They're back up to $0.99/each now though.

[cdh]

Temple oranges are my favorite.

[FrogPrincesse]

Moro blood oranges. Excellent in cocktails (blood orange cosmos for example).

It looks like the Cara Cara are popular! I just got some in my farmer's market bag, but have not had a chance to try them yet. I plan to use them in cocktails as well.

[Meanderer]

I assume there are different varieties of Naval oranges based on a recent experience. Normally I don't eat Naval oranges because I find them pretty tasteless but, because I was cooking something that required orange peel, I bought a couple at the supermarket out of a bin that merely said "Naval Oranges." After I scraped the peel I needed, I ate the remainder. It was soooo good, better than any orange I can remember, I immediately ate the other one. The label said the orange was from South Africa but that was about it. The next time I returned to the store, those oranges were gone.

So those Navals are my favorite but I may never see them again.

[brucesw]

Satsuma (a mandarin) off the tree in my back yard. Nothing beats being able to walk out there when there's a chill in the air, pluck an orange and peel it (they're slip-skin and practically peel themselves) and start eating right way.

In alternate years when my tree isn't bearing, I try to get down to a local produce farm a couple of times during the season and stock up on theirs.

When they're out of season I go back and forth between navels and Valencias, whatever looks good at the market. I don't go out of my way looking for oranges but did get some blood oranges at Central Market last week. I would buy them more often but they're not carried by my neighborhood market. $1.29/lb, a very good price.

I peel to eat unless I get one (or a whole bag full) that's too hard to peel, then I cut it in pieces and eat off the rind and usually buy the other variety at the store next time.

Mostly my market carries only oranges from California. Occasionally I'll see and buy Texas oranges; they're supposed to be mostly for juicing but I prefer to peel and eat.

[Foodietopo]

When I moved to Japan, I discovered Japanese mikan, love these! The taste is a bit different from everything I ever tasted back in Canada. They are also growing a lot of these in the inland sea not too far from my home.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Satsuma_%28fruit%29

[gilius]

In Europe there is a Sicilian orange called Tarocco, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarocco

Thats my absolute favorite.

/gilius

[SaltySnack]

I typically don't eat citrus, but my brother gave me a subscription to the Fruit of the Month club from Harry and David. This month's selection is honeybell oranges which are indeed shaped like a bell. H&D claims they are so juicy, they include a bib in the box for when you eat them. My box arrived yesterday but I have yet to try any of the oranges.

[merstar]

I typically don't eat citrus, but my brother gave me a subscription to the Fruit of the Month club from Harry and David. This month's selection is honeybell oranges which are indeed shaped like a bell. H&D claims they are so juicy, they include a bib in the box for when you eat them. My box arrived yesterday but I have yet to try any of the oranges.

Honeybells are great - I used to buy them from the grove next door when I lived in FL several years ago .

[Darienne]

The topic doesn't rule out oranges which you don't eat straight from the hand.

Seville oranges, which are soon to appear in Peterborough...I have the produce manager's word...which make superb marmalade.

And Kalamansi/Calamansi/Kalamondon/Caladmondon oranges which many people grow simply as ornamentals, also make great marmalade. A friend has two fruit bearing trees, and now I have two seedlings, two years planted, which are about 20" tall. My children will be able to harvest the fruit I think.