How to Make a Dreamy, Creamy Orange Julius

Who else out there remembers Orange Julius? Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, this was the place to go for a hot dog and what was actually a pretty fantastic frozen orange-vanilla drink. The Julius made many a boring mall visit a little sweeter for me in those days.

Orange Julius was the official
beverage of the 1964 World's Fair

Some might even call the Julius the original all-American fruit smoothie. This healthy citrus beverage was ahead of its time. Its origins date all the way back to the jazz age, when Julius Freed, an everyday juice stand owner, changed his recipe at the suggestion of a friend, adding milk, ice, vanilla flavoring, and a bit of sugar. Soon, customers were lined up for the drink, calling out, “Give me an orange, Julius!”...or so the story goes. The sweet, creamy beverage was even the official drink of the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, where it quenched fairgoers’ thirst alongside attractions including a demonstration of a computer modem and the original “It’s a Small World” ride, now housed at Disneyworld.

Orange Julius ingredients.

A big part of the drink’s appeal is the way it balances the brighter, sharper taste of citrus with creamy dairy and vanilla. Though you’d probably never otherwise think of mixing orange juice with milk, somehow it works here. It might remind you of orange sherbet--or of another childhood favorite, the creamsicle.

You’ve probably had an Orange Julius made using frozen orange juice concentrate. While those are pretty good, the drink goes to a whole new level when made with fresh-squeezed juice. It’s far fresher-tasting, sweeter, and all around more refreshing, too. I tinkered a bit and combined ideas from several online recipes before coming up with two different versions for you to try. In my unscientific household poll, two of us preferred the Classic and two of us went for the New Millennium. By the way, I have to note that every participant spontaneously said “Mmmm” after his or her first sip.

Classic Creamy Orange Smoothie

• Juice of 3 juicy Florida oranges, such as Valencia or Temple (about 1 cup)
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 5-6 ice cubes

Blend in a blender till very frothy.

New Millennium Creamy Orange Smoothie

• Juice of 3 juicy Florida oranges, such as Valencia or Temple (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup vanilla yogurt
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 4-5 ice cubes

Blend in a blender till creamy.

Mmmm, a delicious glass of
New Millennium Creamy Orange Smoothie

If you enjoy this drink, you can take it in all kinds of different directions. Try adding frozen mango cubes, frozen pineapple, or frozen or room-temperature bananas. Frozen pineapple was a huge success at our house, and also gave the drink a great, thick texture. If dairy doesn’t work for you, you can substitute alternative milks like soy or almond milk, or even coconut milk.

This classic creamy citrus treat is even more tasty than I remember. It’s also really easy to whip up at home. Give it a try with your own family, and see if you awaken some memories—or make some new ones.

How Do We Know When Citrus is Ready to Pick?

We often rely on color to let us know
when something is ready to eat.

Whether it’s a bright yellow banana or a perfectly brown piece of toast, we often rely on color to let us know when something is ready to eat. It’s usually a pretty good system, too. After all, few of us enjoy the flavor of a green peach or a blackened cookie.

But did you know that color is not necessarily a great indicator of the ripeness of a citrus fruit? In fact, it’s possible for an orange to be perfectly sweet and juicy inside, but a little green on its exterior. Sometimes, nights don’t get quite cool enough for citrus to develop a really orange color. At other times, a process called “regreening” makes ripe winter citrus turn a bit greenish again in the spring.

You shouldn’t ever worry about any hints of green on Florida citrus, though. (While our gift packages are carefully selected to be bright and beautiful, you may sometimes notice this on citrus at the store.) Why? The answer lies in the meticulous processes growers use to check for ripeness.

Unlike many other fruits, citrus doesn’t continue ripening once it’s picked. This means that growers had better be certain the fruit is in peak condition before removing it from the trees. To do so, they start tasting fruit early. When it seems like the fruit is just about ready, the grove manager will choose a sample of fruit for further testing, making sure to include fruit from different areas of the grove and all parts of the tree.

Hydrometer measuring the Brix rating
of apple wine.

Next, some juice is extracted to assess the fruit’s sweetness and level of acidity. It’s the right balance of these two factors that makes citrus delicious. The sweetness is tested using a special tool called a hydrometer, which gives a measurement called the Brix rating. This number tells the grower how much natural sugar is present in the fruit. Acid content is measured using a special chemical process that yields a number as well. The ratio of these two numbers determines how the fruit will taste.

Our citrus is always picked by hand.

If all systems are go, then the fruit is ready for picking. Our citrus is always picked by hand.  Then, of course, it can be packed and shipped fresh to you.

Once it’s off the tree, one very nice thing about ripe citrus is how well it keeps. Citrus will hold beautifully and in great condition in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for at least a month. You can also store it at room temperature if you plan to use it within four or five days.

But back to that green peach for a minute. Like me, I bet you’ve had the experience of buying certain types of fruit and waiting...and waiting...for sweetness and ripeness that just never arrived. Isn’t it nice to know that with citrus, the trees and the Florida sun have already finished the job?

References

• http://flcitrusmutual.com/citrus-101/grovetoglass.aspx 
• http://www.floridajuice.com/care-and-handling
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brix 

Image Credits

• "Bananas" by Ian Ransley licensed under CC BY 2.0.
• "apple wine 008" by inspector_81 licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Are Oranges Really Orange?

Florida Oranges come in many different varieties, sizes, and colors.  But are any of the oranges we grow really the color orange? Are some oranges more “orange” than others?

We’ll need to start by answering the question: What exactly is the color “orange”?

The color orange also describes the secondary color created by mixing equal parts of red and yellow in the traditional Red-Yellow-Blue color model. This places the true color of orange right in the middle, containing no more red than yellow.

Now, what about the fruit? Where does that fall?

Well, there are many different varieties of oranges, and even oranges of the same varieties vary slightly in coloration not just from batch to batch, but from the bottom of each orange to the top.

Most oranges are very close to a color called “Orange Peel”.  There are exceptions of course, but Orange Peel would be the color that you typically think of when you think of Florida Oranges.

Let’s play a little game.  Can you identify the color Orange Peel?  The image below shows several colors on the orange spectrum.  Which one is the color Orange Peel?  Is it more yellow or more red than true orange?

For bonus points, see if you can identify these other colors as well:  Tangelo, Pumpkin, Carrot, Tangerine.

Please Note: Our little game only works if your computer screen does a good job displaying colors!  Older computer screens may not show these colors correctly.

Click to View Answers.

Please share on Facebook and Twitter so others can take the test!

Surprisingly enough, carrots are actually closer to True Orange than your typical orange. Compare the different kinds of colors you see the next time you shop for oranges!

References

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_peel_(color)#Orange_peel

How is Orange Blossom Honey Harvested?

I’ve always loved Orange Blossom Honey.  And it’s not just me, Orange Blossom Honey is generally considered one of the best honeys in the world.  It’s a lightly colored honey described as having a “well rounded” sweetness.  The sweetness is on the milder side and not overwhelming, which means it complements many different types of food.  In fact, I’ve heard beekeepers say that it’s tough to recommend a specific use for Orange Blossom Honey, because it goes so well with pretty much everything.

A beautiful orange blossom.

The best part of the Orange Blossom Honey is the aroma and subtle citrus flavor.  If you’ve ever been in Florida during the citrus bloom, the smell of orange blossom honey will transport you right back to springtime in Florida.

But how is Orange Blossom Honey harvested?  Can you only get it from beekeepers that live near orange groves?   Do the bees and the grove workers live together in harmony year round?

Hard working honey bee

The answer is actually quite surprising: Beekeepers load up all of their bees onto a truck and transport them to the orange groves for the four weeks that the orange blossoms are in bloom.  Bees are opportunistic foragers and usually gather pollen from a variety of plants, so beekeepers have to put the hives right in the middle of a big orange grove if they want the bees to stick to the orange blossoms.

Be careful beekeepers!

The beekeepers pack up the beehives around dusk when all of the foragers are back in the hive and load them onto trucks and trailers before transporting them to the orange groves.  Each beehive can hold up to 50,000 bees, so one truck will literally be carrying millions of bees.

Let’s just hope those beekeepers are safe drivers. A regular car accident is scary enough without a swarm of angry bees adding to the chaos. Just make sure that if you see a big truck leaving an orange grove in the spring, you get out of the way!

The delicious results of all that work.

Licensed Images

• "orangeblossomsrspecial5apr08" by Dale Stewart is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• "Honey Bee" by BobMacInnes is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• "doug hands off the frame to me" by fishermansdaughter is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• "Mini Honey Jars" by Mary Witzig is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Did you know that a Honeybell isn't an Orange?

We often have customers asking for Honeybell Oranges.  It’s a common misnomer, and I don’t usually correct the customer.

 When I do mentioned that Honeybells aren’t actually oranges, I’m always met with surprise and a little skepticism.

Your first guess might be that a Honeybell is a cross between an orange and some other type of citrus fruit and that I’m being a bit too particular by claiming that a Honeybell isn’t an orange.

That’s a good guess.  Anyone who’s familiar with citrus knows that there are many different citrus hybrids and new ones are being created all the time.  Biologists and growers use cross pollination to mix different types of citrus to experiment with new varieties.

So, are Honeybells a hybrid between an orange and another type of citrus? Nope!  Honeybells really aren’t oranges.

Honeybells are a type of Tangelo called the Minneola Tangelo.  A Tangelo is a hybrid between a tangerine and a grapefruit (or pomelo). More specifically, the Minneola Tangelo is a cross between a Duncan Grapefruit and a Dancy Tangerine.

So the Tangelo is not an orange, and it’s not a descendant of any orange variety.  It is an entirely different species that came from cross pollinating grapefruit and tangerines.  This helps to explain why the Honeybell has such a unique flavor -- very different from any orange that you’ve ever tried! Honeybells are a real treat; browse our selection and experience the incredible flavor of fresh Honeybells.




References

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangelo
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(fruit)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_(biology)#Hybrid_plants
• http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ch072
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafting#Graft_hybrids

How to Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaner Using Recycled Orange Peels!

As far as non-toxic all-purpose cleaners go, distilled vinegar is king. It’s almost as lethal to bacteria and mold as bleach without also being lethal to your children, yourself, and your pets. You can even spray it on your salad after you’re done cleaning for extra flavor!

What could possibly be better?!

The smell.

Vinegar has a strong smell that isn’t terrible, but it won’t win any awards. The good news is that it’s odorless when it dries. What about those of us who are used to the smells of a clean home, though? Is there any compromise without having to purchase expensive cleaners to keep your family safe?

There is! It turns out that adding the refreshing smell of your favorite citrus to a bottle of distilled vinegar is not only incredibly inexpensive, it’s fairly simple as well. Also, when the vinegar dries, your chosen scent will remain. I use this in my own home, and now I’m going to show you how to make a fresh batch for yours.

Supplies

First, let’s talk about what you’ll need to bring to the party.

Distilled Vinegar	This stuff is really inexpensive. I bought a gallon at my local grocery store for less than $5. You want to make sure that it says that it has 5% acidity on the jug. Any less than that, and I can’t vouch for its cleaning power.
A reasonably airtight container or two	I used two ziplock 4-cup containers with screw-on lids. You can use mason jars, tupperware, or anything that seals tight. Try to get something with a wide mouth so the orange peels are easy to get out when you’re done.
Oranges	It took me five navel oranges to fill both of my ziplock containers to the brim. Depending on the variety or size of your oranges, your mileage may vary. If you are running low on oranges, you can browse our great selection here.
A spray bottle	Any standard spray bottle will work for this purpose. I don’t recommend reusing old spray bottles, as they may still contain chemicals that could react negatively with vinegar.
1 Strainer	I used a silicone strainer for my mixture. I’d recommend a finer, metal strainer, as they’ll let even less pulp through.
1 Funnel	The neck of a spray bottle is narrow, and making a mess while preparing a cleaner is pretty backwards.

Step One 

Peel and enjoy some oranges. As I said before, I needed five Navel Oranges to do the job, so I got some hungry help and went to work. I personally found that peeling the oranges the messy way (by tearing off small chunks) allowed me to stuff more of the peel into the jars at the end. Try to leave as little of the albedo and pulp on the peel as possible. The more there is, the more thick the solution will become.

One orange down, and I'm just getting started.  Good thing I'm hungry!

Step Two

Fill your containers with the peels. Using medium-sized Navels, each of my 4-cup containers took two and a half oranges apiece.

One Orange’s worth. Smaller chunks take up less space in the jar, leaving room for more.

Two Oranges’ worth.  Almost full.  Still room for a little more.

Step Three

Use vinegar to fill the containers. Your containers should be so full that the vinegar is only filling in the small spaces in between. Also, be mindful of the fact that the orange peels will float. I was able to keep from overfilling my jars by pressing on the oranges with my free hand while I poured the vinegar.

Getting my vinegar ready after pushing the peels down below the lid of the jar.

Step Four

Seal the containers. It takes at least two weeks for the vinegar to absorb the full aroma from the orange peels. You can date the containers if you like. I personally just set a calendar appointment on my phone to remind me when they were ready.

Full right to the top!  Let’s take it outside to get a better look at how much we’re working with.

Notice how even after cramming as much as I could into the jar, the peels still are buoyant enough to have room at the bottom.

Step Five

Wait at least two weeks. Feel free to wait longer, though. It won’t hurt the final product. I recommend taking a long vacation during this time. You could even come down to Florida and visit our groves!

Step Six

Transfer your new, sweet-smelling cleaner into your spray bottle!

After two weeks, it’s ready. Your oranges should appear pallid. Don’t worry, though. Everything the oranges have lost, your cleaner has gained. Notice how the jar on the right is darker. I left a bit of pulp on the peels to see the effect, myself. The solution was a little thicker as well, but it was still thin enough to keep my sprayer from gunking up.

I picked up a generic 32oz. sprayer for this task. For four cups’ worth, this is ideal.

Now for the hard part, getting the cleaner into the bottle.

Time to affix your funnel.

If you aren’t holding a camera, you don’t have to turn this into the balancing act that I did. It’s much easier with two hands. You can just hold the strainer over the funnel.

Pour carefully.

Halfway there. Time for the second jar.

Feel free to dump the peels into the strainer to get every last drop. They won’t hurt anything.

All done and ready to take on the kitchen!

Recap:

Step 1	Peel your oranges, tearing them into small chunks.
Step 2	Fill your jar with orange peels all the way to the top.
Step 3	Pour the distilled vinegar into the jar.
Step 4	Seal the jars and date them.
Step 5	Wait at least two weeks.
Step 6	Transfer them to a spray bottle!

And you’re done!

Go ahead and have fun with this process, though. Add other scents and fresh-smelling fruits and herbs, such as tangerines or mint leaves, to find the combination you like best. In fact, when I first tried this, I used cinnamon with the oranges. The cinnamon smell overpowered everything else. I quickly realized that cinnamon is a great scent in small doses. I didn’t enjoy having so much of it everywhere in my house.

Nothing I’ve tried yet so far smells as refreshing as oranges, though.

Safety

Feel free to use this cleaner almost anywhere in your house. Just be sure not to use it on granite. Granite is very sensitive to acid-based cleaners, such as vinegar and ammonia. Also, never mix vinegar with bleach. Bleach reacts with acids by releasing toxic chlorine gas.

Just How Many Navel Orange Trees Are There?

Navel Oranges are by far the most common oranges to eat out of hand in the United States. That must mean there are a lot of Navel Orange trees, right? Can you guess how many are in America? How about worldwide?

The answer: One. There is only one true Navel Orange tree in the entire world! There are plenty of groves all over Florida with hundreds or thousands of trees growing Navel Oranges, but none of those are true Navel Orange trees.  Those trees are a different kind of citrus tree with Navel Orange branches attached to them.  All of those Navel Orange branches come from the same, amazing 200-year-old tree.

So, how did this happen?  Around 1810, a single tree in Brazil experienced the Navel Orange mutation. This mutation not only resulted in the signature “navel,” which is actually a second, underdeveloped orange that shares the same peel, but also made the fruit seedless.

A single, seedless orange tree in Brazil was lucky enough to produce the Navel Oranges we love today.
Note: the above image is not the original Navel Orange tree.

If you’ve ever had a Navel Orange, you can understand why the farmers had to find a way to plant more of these trees. However, the mutation was completely sterile -- there were no seeds for the farmers to replant. How can you plant new orange trees without seeds? Well, you can’t.

They decided to try grafting. Grafting is the simple, ancient technique of joining two related plants together.  In the case of orange trees, the grower will take the branch from one tree and carefully attach it to another tree. If the trees are similar enough, the new branch will live. Over time, that branch will grow and bear more and more of it’s own fruit.

Various types of grafts.

So with a little help from some clever farmers, Navel Orange branches migrated their way to the sunniest places around the world.

It’s worth noting that there have been other Navel Orange mutations while on the branch, resulting in different Navel Orange varieties. Most of them are not grown in large quantities.  You can check out this list of Navel Orange Varieties if you want to read more about each variety.

Sources:

• http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/early_mid_season_navels.html
• http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103250589

Licensed Images

• "Monte frutal con arboles cítricos" by SuSanA Secretariat is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• "My first (imperfect) graft with Parafilm" by Kristine Paulus is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• "'V' graft ... pear tree (rootstock: quince tree) 1" by ghadjikyriacou is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• "Veneer graft" by Malcolm Manners is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• Map of South America provided by d-Maps