Orange ya Glad?

[Mayhaw Man]

This link is to an article that appeared today in the New Orleans Times Picayune about this years citrus crop.

For those of you that aren't in the know about the Louisiana Citrus Industry, this might be news to you. Louisiana had a fairly large citrus growing industry well into the 1950s, but several freezes (unusual, but they do happen) and a couple of hurricanes dessimated the industry. The crop is now consumed pretty much locally and compares very favorably to citrus from other parts of the country. It is a wintertime product and we generally start seeing Satsumas around Halloween, followed by kumquats, navels, lemons, blood oranges, a few limes (the little timy kind, but not key limes) and assorted other citrus fruits.

The growing area is generally the part of Louisiana that sticks out in the Gulf, Placquemines Parish, although depending on freezes fruit can thrive elsewhere in South Louisiana. Bananas regularly produce here and you often see orange and lemon trees in yards in New Orleans and across the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

If you are going to be in the New Orleans area during the winter months I reccomend that you look for them in grocery stores and at the various farmers markets and the French Market.

[mikey]

We got our annual fix a week ago. A the family of a friend who lives in Lafayette has a citrus orchard. We make an annual visit to Lafayette the first weekend of December, and have been bringing back a box of satsumas and a box of navels for the last several years. I'm not a big orange eater, but my wife wife distributes them as Christmas gifts to friends and co-workers. They all think they're great.

[FistFullaRoux]

Headed to Vermilion Parish and my mom's satsuma tree for Christmas.

I can't wait.

[Lucille]

Lucky you Fist!

But, I got a fig tree....neaner, neaner...

[Mayhaw Man]

2004 Orange and Satsuma Crop is IN!

And, as the gentleman from NJ can attest, it is a pretty good crop. The fruit is delicious. The satsumas have been plentiful and cheap (5 bucks will get you 10 pounds, that's alot of satsumas) and the navels are as good as they have been in a long time. Dense and sweet. I love those things. Really. We eat 3 bags of satsumas a week and have knocked off a couple of bags of navels making juice this week.

If you can find them, don't pass them up. Louisiana citrus is the best.

[My Confusing Horoscope]

shameless plug for my cousins's oranges:

http://www.satsumafarm.com/

[patti]

We have one satsuma tree and one lemon tree, and I can confirm that the yield has been excellent this year. My husband has been taking sacks of them to work to share with coworkers and we've been eating our fill. The trees are almost five years old and this is the best crop ever.

[Mayhaw Man]

What kind of lemons? Those big ones that are the size of baseballs? Like in Placquemine Parish. I love those.

[lovebenton0]

This is great news, Mayhaw Man! I love the satsumas and navels in LA. We're due for a trip to Lafayette this winter and will definitely take advantage of the good crop.

[patti]

What kind of lemons? Those big ones that are the size of baseballs? Like in Placquemine Parish. I love those.

←

Brooks, this crop IS the size of baseballs, but I can tell you that in previous years the lemons were smaller and not very plentiful. The trees were a gift (given to us in memory of our beloved son, Matthew, who died five years ago today) and I have to admit I don't know anything more than that they are lemons.

Edited December 13, 2004 by patti (log)

[bavila]

Hey y'all, I've been away for a while, and as usual, the Louisiana page is a welcome reminder of home. My parents have been raving about the oranges and satsumas that all their friends have been giving them, making me quite jealous. But here's my question. I don't remember a largesse of citrus when I was growing up (I'm 31, BTW), would this be due to the storms to which Brooks refers? Or maybe I was just clueless to things culinary at the time.