Creative DIY Citrus Valentine's Gifts and Decor

Will you be my "Bellentine?"  With Valentine's Day around the corner, it makes sense that Honeybells and Golden Honeybells are at the peak of their season. Likewise, Cara Cara red navel oranges are ripe and ready to enjoy; their signature red pulp is custom made for the holiday of Love. What better gift for your beloved than fresh, seasonal citrus? A nice fruit-filled heart-shaped bowl like the one pictured below is the perfect centerpiece. But why stop there? How about some creative gifting and decor to really convey the Valentine's mood?

Say I "Heart" You with Multicolored Citrus

Fortunately for us, citrus comes in a variety of colors, inside and out.  No need to buy expensive decorations or sugary snacks: simply slice a few varieties of your favorite citrus types and use a paring knife to shape them into little hearts. These can be added to fruit salads, green salads, used as a garnish on a main dish, or simply served up alone as a fun snack! The picture below shows a multicolored assortment of navel. red navel, and babybell oranges.

 

Let's Just be Friends 

 

There's simply no room for heartbreak this Valentine's Day: here's an easy and fun craft your kids and you can give to others to let them know how much you love being their friend.  Is someone crushing on you? This gift is also a gracious way to let that someone down easy. Simply take your citrus of choice, place it in a gift bag, and print or hand-design a card that says: "Orange you glad we're friends?" Tie the card onto the bag and voila: the perfect Friendentine!

Something for Your Main Squeeze

Now here's a clever gift idea for your pun-loving beloved: give them some delicious citrus and attach a hand juicer with a card that says "I just want to give you a big SQUEEZE for Valentine's Day!" 

Getting Romantic

Worried about setting a romantic mood for the big V Day?  Citrus is here to help once again!

While not traditionally recognized as one of the "aphrodisiac" foods like oysters and chocolate, more recent research has shown that the high vitamin C content of all citrus fruits increases blood flow and libido. Furthermore, the bright aroma of oranges and grapefruits is energizing and as such can counter fatigue that can get in the way of romance. You can bring these love-boosting qualities right into your home with a glowing citrus candle and a tasty cocktail recipe.  

There's so much to love about citrus! 

Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at Florida Fruit Shippers! 

Sources:

10 Aphrodisiac Foods That Increase Libido & Improve Your Sex Life | Cory Couillard | YourTango

How To Make a Clementine Candle | Apartment Therapy

Jac o' lyn Murphy: Valentines for your Main Squeeze - Healthy and Pretty DIY (jacolynmurphy.com)

Winter Citrus Bourbon Cocktail Recipe | By Gabriella

Citrus: In Good Taste

It's late January, when most of the country is only dreaming about warm weather and the delicious enjoyment of eating freshly picked produce. Here at Florida Fruit Shippers it's the peak of citrus season, with many varieties of oranges, grapefruit, honeybells and tangerines all ripe for the harvest and ready to be savored!  These varieties differ in appearance, color, texture, and most importantly, taste. Overall, grapefruit is considered to be on the sour side, while oranges generally classify as sweet. But what is "taste," really? how does it compare to "flavor?" And how many different tasty flavors can citrus really have?

Taste and the Many Flavors of Citrus

There are receptors on our tongue's taste buds for five broad categories of taste: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savory. Of these, citrus covers three of them: sweet, sour, and bitter. The flavor of something is the combined effect of its taste and odor, so to maximize your enjoyment of eating your citrus of choice, take a nice whiff first, an intentional and mindful bite, and then proceed to chew slowly so that your olfactory receptors can continue to take up the citrusy notes along with your taste buds. 

Numerous adjectives are used to describe how something tastes beyond the five main categories. Imbibe, Inc. has identified thirty-six key flavors in the foods that we eat and smell, and of these, seven can be used to describe citrus fruits in varying degrees: acidic, candy-like, clean, delicate, piquant (exciting), tangy, and tart. Let's examine some of the January fruits and get to know their flavors a bit better.

Oranges

There are two main orange varieties ready for the picking right now: navels and cara cara red navels. Going for the classic "orange" taste? Navels are the poster child of oranges, with the low acid, just-sweet-enough flavor that oranges are known for. Cara cara red navels (pictured above), by comparison, are a bit more complex in flavor. While they also have the low-acid sweetness characteristic of their navel cousin, that deep red flesh also carries delicate floral hints of cranberry and rose. Temple oranges are a tangerine-orange cross that will become available at the very end of January and remain in season only for a few weeks. They are clean-tasting, piquant and tart, and have a spicy-sweetness that offsets the tartness perfectly.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is the one type of citrus that is available for most of the harvesting season, as early as November. Ruby red grapefruit, pictured here, can be obtained all the way through May. While it certainly sports the classic sour grapefruit tang to the delight of all grapefruit lovers, it also has a distinctive sweetness that is a trademark of the red-fleshed citrus varieties. By comparison, the seedless Marsh white grapefruit has that well-loved clean and classic grapefruit taste, with just enough sweetness to bring out the joy in your pucker. Marsh white and deep red grapefruits are only available through February. The cooler temperatures seem to make the deep reds a perfect combination of sweet and sour. While "juicy" is not an adjective for taste per se, the juiciness of the deep reds certainly serves to enhance its flavors!

Tangerines

Tangerines are available all season long, from November through May. They tend to be sweeter and less acidic than oranges, with a lightly tart flavor that is balanced out with a honey-like sweetness. If you get any of the pith of the fruit, you may also taste a stronger bitter flavor, as tangerines in general have a stronger taste, smell, and overall flavor compared to other citrus varieties.

Honeybells

Honeybells, with their distinctive "bell" stem, are a unique tangerine/grapefruit hybrid with a flavor that has been described as "vivid." With their parentage, it can be expected that the fruits are tart and tangy; the surprise is that they also have a honey-like sweetness from which the name "honeybell" is derived. Like grapefruits, their juiciness only serves to enhance their taste and flavor. 

Whether you prefer sweet, sour, bitter, or any combination of these, citrus fruits have you covered! One thing we can say for sure: no matter which citrus types you choose to enjoy this season, you have excellent taste. 

SOURCES:

Types of Taste: What to Know About Taste and Flavor (healthline.com)

Understanding Tastes and Food Flavors | American Heart Association

A Complete Guide to Citrus Fruits (thespruceeats.com)

36 Key Terms for Describing Taste and Flavor – Imbibe (imbibeinc.com)

What Do Tangerines Taste Like? (foodmeetsflavor.com)

What are Honeybell Oranges? (with pictures) (delightedcooking.com)

What Are Tangelos? (thespruceeats.com)

New Year, New Citrus: Spotlight on the Golden Honeybell

Ring the bells; it's a new year! With 2024 off to a good start, many of us are well underway with our New Year's resolutions: a new fitness program, a new diet, a new language, s new hairstyle, a new attitude.  How about a new citrus variety?  Introducing: Golden Honeybells!

What Is a Honeybell?

Golden Honeybells belong to a general category of citrus collectively known as Honeybells. True to their name, they are exceptionally sweet (hence the prefix "honey") and have a distinctive bulbous, almost pear-like shape (hence the suffix "bell"). Traditional honeybells are not oranges at all, but rather a vibrant, dark orange cross between a Darcy tangerine and a Duncan or Bowen grapefruit, which is a sweeter and very seedy variety of grapefruit. The result, thankfully, is a seedless tangelo that is incredibly juicy and easy to peel, and which does not have any contraindications with some prescription medications as grapefruit might. Traditional Honeybells are quite large, and they are so juicy that it would take only two regular-sized Honeybells to fill up a glass! There is also a much smaller, more snackable variety called the Baby Bell. Both of these Honeybell versions are in season only for a few weeks and are available from mid-February through mid-April. Because of their unique shape, they must be very carefully hand-picked or hand-clipped so as not to damage the "bell."

So What Makes a Golden Honeybell Different?

Slide over, Honeybells and Baby Bells: there's a new Bell in town! Golden Honeybells are still considered to be in the "bell" family because of that distinctive bell-shaped head and sweet flesh. Genetically, Golden Honeybells are lighter in color and are a mandarin hybrid. They are large with a bumpier rind than traditional Honeybells. Best of all, they are available as early as January 1 with an overall longer season that extends into late March.

Golden Honeybell Chess Pie

While the main thing one would do with most any citrus variety is to peel and eat it, Honeybells are ideal for juicing.  Upon further research, however, this blog author discovered a very original Chess Pie recipe using....Golden Honeybells! Chess pies are a southern specialty, and are usually lemon or chocolate flavored.  As it turns out, Golden Honeybells (and regular Honeybells) are a terrific take on tradition.

Golden Honeybell Chess Pie
*Adapted with permission of Nancie McDermott from Southern Pies (Chronicle Books, 2010).

Pastry crust for a 9-inch single-crust pie
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornmeal, preferably stone ground
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten well
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup freshly squeeze Honeybell juice (or other flavorful orange)
¼ cup evaporated milk
3 teaspoons grated Honeybell zest

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust and then crimp the edges decoratively.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cornmeal, flour and salt. Stir with a whisk to blend. Add the eggs, butter, melon juice, evaporated milk and zest. Using a fork or whisk, mix well, stirring and scraping to combine everything evenly into a thick, smooth filling.

Pour into the piecrust and place the pie on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake until the edges puff up and the center is fairly firm, wiggling only a little when you gently nudge the pan, about 45 minutes.

Place the pie on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and let cool to room temperature. 

The Divas of the Citrus World

Regardless of what type of Honeybells you enjoy and whether you like to eat, drink, or make pie out of them, the Golden Honeybell, traditional Honeybell, and Baby Bell varieties are limited due to their special growing and harvesting conditions. They grow best in certain "orange belt" regions of California and Florida, with variations from year to year based on precipitation conditions (Honeybells don't like exceptionally damp environments). Because of the unique growing factors, harvests are smaller than other citrus varieties. That, plus the fact that they require extra hand-picked care during harvesting, truly make these rare fruits the "Bell" of the winter ball!

Sources:

Buyers Guide to Why create this guide? (orangesonline.com)

Facts About Honeybells (Honeybell Oranges) - Yarden

What are Honeybell Oranges? (with pictures) (delightedcooking.com)

A Brief Guide to Mandarins and Their Hybrids (gardenzeus.com)

Eating My Words: Let’s Lunch: 'Go For the Gold' with Honeybell Chess Pie (eatingmywords-jwl.blogspot.com)

What Is Chess Pie—And How Did It Get Its Name? (allrecipes.com)

How a Box of Navel Oranges Saved Christmas Dinner

 

Every December, my kids and I load up our family car in sunny, warm Florida and point north to the wintry cool beauty of my mother's country log home in the Great Smokey Mountains. This year, I proudly packed a fresh box of juicy Florida Fruit Shippers Navel Oranges, excited to present them as a gift of Florida Sunshine.

To my surprise, the navels proved to be much more than a creative gift. They ended up being a critical part of nourishing nine hungry family members and saving the Christmas feast! We spent most of Christmas Day cooking the holiday supper, and here's what our table looked like when everything was set out. Can you spot the oranges?

If you found the small bowl of juicy orange wedges in the center of the table, you got only part of it. As it turns out, we used oranges for not one, but four of our dishes.

The Peace Table

We created a multicultural "Peace Table" this year, featuring foods from several different traditions.  In addition to the standard traditional fare of ham, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw, we also made a cranberry sauce cooked with fresh squeezed orange juice and pulp. We also made a Middle Eastern lentil and fruit dish which featured orange zest and juice from two navels. Here I am grating the zest after juicing, having forgotten my own advice from a previous blog about how it is much easier to zest first and juice second. In this case, I had to be very careful with the grater while zesting after squeezing out all of the juice:

Oranges Cross Many Traditions

In addition to the traditional American cranberry sauce dish (which actually has its origins as an un-jellied version in Native American cuisine) and the Middle Eastern lentil and fruit bake, we also made baked sweet potatoes with orange pecan glaze in honor of Yule and Native American traditions, and Jewish/Ukrainian latkes (potato pancakes) with an orange juice-sweetened applesauce. On my plate, below, you can see everything except the latkes. Only the macaroni and cheese and broccoli were not cooked with our Florida Fruit Shippers oranges!

Oranges can be found in most culinary traditions around the world. In Cuba, a citrus-based mojo sauce is a key condiment. In Haiti, oranges are used to clean meat before cooking, as a way to remove any gamey smell and assist in tenderizing. In northern Italy in February, the famous "Battle of the Oranges" is heralded as the "largest food fight in the world." Oranges have a prominent place in Italian cuisine, particularly in desserts. And anyone who loves Chinese food is familiar with orange chicken, though this particular dish has largely been Americanized.  In Asia, it is more likely that you will find oranges as part of a salad dressing, sauce, or vinaigrette, or simply as a delicious garnish to clean the palate between courses or to complete a meal. 

Good for the Gut

 

We ate a lot for the holidays, so when my health-conscious daughter said she wanted to eat a simple orange from the box of navels versus yet another helping of rich leftovers, I looked into what her body was trying to tell her. Sure enough, oranges aren't just versatile recipe allies and vitamin-packed snacks. They are rich in water, keeping your digestive tract well hydrated to function optimally, and their fiber content helps to improve both nutrient absorption and bowel regularity. Need a little extra relief after overtaxing your digestive capacity? Try eating orange wedges--peel and all--doused with cinnamon and a sprinking of cayenne. 

With the New Year upon us, there is lots of great citrus to enjoy. Early January is the perfect time to enjoy the unique flavors of honeybells  and Sol Zest mandarins while they are still in season, as well as the more familiar varieties of oranges and grapefruits through spring. Whether you want to eat healthier, help the planet, get more creative in the kitchen, or a combination, eating citrus an easy and affordable way to stick to a few New Year's resolutions all at once.

Happy New Year from all of us at Florida Fruit Shippers!

Sources:

This Is Where the Tradition of Cranberry Sauce Comes From (insider.com)

Italy’s largest food fight is battled with oranges | SBS Food

Asian Orange Vinaigrette With Ginger • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways

Does an Orange Help Digestion? | livestrong

Does Eating an Entire Orange—Peel and All—Really Help You Instantly Poop? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say (eatingwell.com)

The Twelve Days of Citrusmas

On the first day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me:

Some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the second day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me:

Two Oranges with chocolate and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the third day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: a Grapefruit Triple Play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the fourth day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the fifth day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: Fiiiiiive Goooolden Honeybells!

Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the sixth day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: Six orange explosions, fiiiiive golden honeybells!  Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the seventh day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: Heavenly seven, six orange explosions, fiiiiive golden honeybells!  Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the eighth day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: eight white seedless grapefruit, Heavenly seven, six orange explosions, fiiiiive golden honeybells!  Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the ninth day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me:  Nine Fruit Lover's Assortment, eight white seedless grapefruit, Heavenly seven, six orange explosions, fiiiiive golden honeybells!  Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the tenth day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: ten ruby reds, nine Fruit Lover's Assortment, eight white seedless grapefruit, Heavenly seven, six orange explosions, fiiiiive golden honeybells!  Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the eleventh day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: eleven navel oranges, ten ruby reds, nine Fruit Lover's Assortment, eight white seedless grapefruit, Heavenly seven, six orange explosions, fiiiiive golden honeybells!  Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

On the twelfth day of Citrusmas, my true love gifted me: a Free Shipping Deluxe Box, eleven navel oranges, ten ruby reds, nine Fruit Lover's Assortment, eight white seedless grapefruit, Heavenly seven, six orange explosions, fiiiiive golden honeybells!  Fabulous Four, a grapefruit triple play, two oranges with chocolate, and some delicious easy-peel tangerines!

Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season, from all of us at Florida Fruit Shippers!

Florida, Texas, and California: Partners in Working with Climate Change

 

Who doesn't love juicy, delicious citrus right off the tree? Here at Florida Fruit Shippers, it is our number one priority. Year after year, we work closely with local, sustainable growers in the fertile soils of central Florida to make sure you are receiving the freshest produce available.  Lately, the climate has been more unpredictable than in the past, with climate change accounting for bigger and more damaging storms during the summer months, longer periods of freezing in the wintertime, saltwater intrusion, and changing, uneven weather patterns. Climate change is a global reality, so what can we do about it?

A Small Carbon Footprint

Agriculture is one of the most impactful ways in which humans can affect the environment. Add to this fact that by 2050, there will be a dramatic increase in the need to feed people. Fortunately, of all of the foods produced globally, citrus has the very lowest carbon dioxide emission per kilogram, with an emission value of only 0.39. Compare that to beef, which comes in at a whopping 99.48! So, we can be reassured that citrus growing is a sustainable industry, and one that has not added to nor contributed fuel to the encroaching fire of climate change. Furthermore, the citrus industry is currently being used as a model for sustainably feeding people well into the future, when the demand for nourishing food is expected only to increase.

Climate Effects on Citrus Growing

While it is good to know that citrus growing is not adversely affecting the environment, climate change-induced weather events have the increasing potential to adversely affect the citrus groves. As such, we must diligently work to counter these effects by modifying our approaches. The Florida Citrus Belt, as it is known, is located right in the crosshairs of both hurricane tracks (see diagram above) and the southern reaches of cold fronts. As both of these events increase in intensity with climate change, the effects are noteworthy: crops can be lost to too many nights of exposure to freezing temperatures, citrus greening and infestations by psyllid insects due to excessive heat and moisture can destroy whole groves, and saltwater intrusion can kill trees at their roots.

Working in Partnership

California and Florida have long influenced each other when it comes to growing citrus, as both states have climates that make them the top producers of most of the varieties that we eat.  Texas comes in as a close second. While in past years that influence has mostly been in the form of sharing research and management techniques, with the onset of climate change, growers in all three states are now cross-pollinating (pun intended) to share their harvests nationally. In the interest of keeping the carbon footprint low and the citrus quality, accessibility, and variety high, we have now expanded our groves to include California and Texas--the "national citrus belt," so to speak. This way, we can all access some really delicious fruit such as Golden Honeybells, classic Honeybells and late season Navels and Tangerines through January, even after the Florida season when the western fruits hit their flavor peaks. 

So rest assured: you can enjoy and gift all of the varieties of citrus we offer at different times of the year and know that you are also nourishing both your health as well as the health of the planet.

Sources:

World of Statistics on X: "The environmental impact of foods 

Florida is already seeing climate change. New global report says it could worsen | WUSF

Modeling the carbon footprint of fresh produce: effects of transportation, localness, and seasonality on US orange markets (nsf.gov)

How historical trends in Florida all‐citrus production correlate with devastating hurricane and freeze events - Ferrarezi - 2020 - Weather - Wiley Online Library

Inside Florida's citrus groves, where growers are working to solve devastating disease and a climate-related shortage to save America's oranges (businessinsider.nl)

California Citrus Industry Follows in Florida's Research Footsteps - Citrus Industry Magazine

Ten Reasons to be Thankful for Citrus!

As is the tradition during this season of gratitude, we have been contemplating all of the reasons we are thankful for citrus fruits. Here are the top ten:

1: It's Available All Winter Long!

Many other nutritious fruits such as berries, grapes, melons, peaches, and plums go dormant in the wintertime, leaving us to expensive and environmentally unfriendly versions imported from long distances, frozen packages, or no availability at all. Thankfully, there are many varieties of citrus fruits that are prime for the picking through the coldest months. Florida Fruit Shippers is well versed in which citrus varieties are available when, as different varieties ripen at various times throughout the colder months. For a guide, see the chart below:

2: It Keeps You Healthy During Cold and Flu Season!

True to nature's perfect design, it figures that these vitamin C-packed fruits would be available when we need immunity boosting the most. There's a reason they call this "cold season": in addition to the temperatures being colder, there is an uptick in flus and colds as

 people become more sedentary and indoor-oriented. 

3: Vitamin C, Baby!

Citrus is famous for being loaded with vitamin C, and vitamin C is famous for being nature's most effective immune system vitamin.  Since your body does not produce vitamin C, it is very important to make sure you are consuming adequate amounts of it daily. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C works by strengthening your T cells and helping to make more immune cells. Adults need 75-90 milligrams of vitamin C per day; a typical orange or grapefruit contains around 70-80 grams, thereby covering most of your recommended daily allowance. 

4: It Lowers Cholesterol!

Starting your day with an orange, grapefruit, or freshly squeezed orange/grapefruit juice has been clinically proven to reduce total and "bad" LDL cholesterol levels. In males, this reduction was reported at 23%, which is statistically significant. That being said, if you have been prescribed a statin to reduce your cholesterol levels, please check with your doctor before eating grapefruit, as grapefruit can interfere with the efficacy of some (but not all) statins.

5: Bring On the Flavonoids!

In addition to Vitamin C, citrus fruits are loaded with a class of compounds called flavonoids, which account for the vibrant colors in many fruits, flowers, and vegetables. "Eating the rainbow" is great advice, because flavonoids are known for their anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.  Not surprisingly, all citrus types are loaded with flavonoids. 

6: Potassium and Iron!

Who would need a multivitamin when citrus is in their diet? In addition to vitamin C and flavonoids, citrus is chock full of potassium, which is so important for blood pressure regulation. In addition, the vitamin C in these remarkable fruits boosts the bioavailability of iron, which can be particularly important for vegetarians.

7: It's Portable and Packable!

There aren't too many foods that come in their own packaging, have a long shelf life, are hardy for transporting without being damaged easily, and don't require any extra utensils or tools to access the delicious fruit inside. Enter citrus: nature's original portable snack! For kids, try some of the easy peel options like Florida Fallglo tangerines and Sol Zest mandarins.

8: It's Youth-Boosting!

In a time when expensive anti-aging products are everywhere you turn, the humble citrus fruit offers an affordable, natural, option. It hydrates skin from the inside out, is full of fiber which helps the body eliminate toxins that dull the complexion and lower energy, and that wonder vitamin C helps boost collagen production to keep skin elastic and supple. 

9: It's an Affordable and Unique Gift!

This time of the year, it can be challenging and stressful to find gifts for friends, loved ones, and colleagues that are affordable, meaningful, and unusual. Enter citrus! A bonus: by ordering directly from Florida Fruit Shippers, you don't have to go to the store, wrap anything, or stand in long lines at the post office. Just make sure you check the shipping deadlines for your region so you know your gift will arrive in plenty of time.

10: It's DELICIOUS!

Whether you like sweet, sour, or a combination of the two, citrus provides!  Fresh picked fruits are so delicious that you can enjoy all the varieties and never even guess that it's incredibly good for your body, too. 

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Florida Fruit Shippers!

Sources: 

What Fruit Is in Season When (verywellfit.com)

10 Reasons to Love Citrus - Nutrition By Mia

9 Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits

Vitamin C | Can Vitamin C really help boost your immune system against COVID-19? Here’s how much you need per day | Health Tips and News (timesnownews.com)

5 Best Fruits to Help Lower Cholesterol, Say Dietitians — Eat This Not That

Why You Shouldn’t Mix Grapefruit and Statins (healthline.com)