What is the Ultimate “Orange Juice” Orange?

Did you drink a glass of orange juice today? If you did, there’s a very good chance (except if it was fresh-squeezed…lucky you!) that the sweet, bright-colored beverage you enjoyed came from one particular type of orange. But unless you’re in the citrus business, you probably don’t have any idea what that variety is. We’ll help you out by making this quiz multiple choice.

The answer is c: the Valencia. However, we’ll certainly forgive you if you picked a or d. (On the other hand, if you picked b, the marmoset…well, that’s actually a kind of tiny monkey. You’re a little off base.)

As a matter of fact, the Valencia is considered the “gold standard,” if you will, for orange juice. (You might even spot some bottles and cartons proudly claiming that they’re “100% Valencia.”) Its wonderful flavor profile is the one people in this country and even around the world recognize as “perfect orange juice”—bright, tangy, balanced, and sweet. The juice of the Valencia is also gorgeous, with a very bold, vivid orange hue that consumers really like.

Valencia juice also stores and freezes wonderfully. With some types of citrus, you actually have to drink the juice right away or it will develop a bitter aftertaste. This may not be a problem for us at home, but it is for large bottlers, which is why the always-reliable Valencia is such a star.

Valencias account for about 50% of the oranges grown in the state of Florida, and most of them do go to the juice market. This variety first made it to the United States in the mid 1800s, where it’s thought to have been perfected by a grower named William Catskill. Catskill named his masterpiece after the city of Valencia in an orange-growing region of Spain. Valencias used to be a big deal out in California, but these days their US production is almost all down here in Florida, where our weather is perfect to produce plenty of these very juicy, sweet fruit.

Here’s another neat thing about Valencias: their season is quite a bit later than many of our other oranges. When Navels, most tangerines, and even Honeybells have finished up, the late-maturing Valencia is just starting to come in, in great quantities. They continue to be sweet, delicious and at their prime well into April and even beyond.

So if you’re looking for a perfect, classic juicing orange, don’t look further than the Valencia. This is the one to buy in quantity and juice up, freezing the juice for later use. However, Valencias also can and should be eaten out of hand when they’re at their prime, at a time when other sweet oranges are hard to come by. Since their skin does adhere a bit more tightly, you may want to serve them by slicing them with the peel on. Some people call these orange “smiles.”

Recipes that Highlight the Valencia

Here are a few recipes calling specifically for the juicy, fully rounded, very “orangey” flavor of Valencias or Valencia juice.

Valencia Orange almond cake We’ve posted this type of almond-whole orange cake before! If you’ve never tried it, you need to—so moist and incredibly fragrant.

Agua de Valencia— Who can argue with an authentic Spanish cocktail made with freshly squeezed orange juice and champagne (and a few other things)? Not me.

Valencia orange marmalade--Here’s a fun way to use some Valencias—try this homemade marmalade. The natural pectin in the seeds provides thickening power.

Blood orange and Valencia orange salad with olive vinaigrette-- A lovely winter salad with both blood oranges and Valencias, plus a rich olive vinaigrette.

Make These 7 Delicious Smoothies with Fresh Citrus

How’s breakfast going at your house these days? Stuck in a toast-and-cereal rut? It happens. But with current daily recommendations for fruit and vegetables at 5 to 9 servings per day, breakfast is an important time to get some of that in.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that serving my sleepy family a glass full of goodness tends to work a bit better than asking anyone to handle whole fruit in the morning. Juice is always delicious, of course-- but how about using the whole fruit? That way you get the extra benefits of fiber. Smoothies can be sweet, easy, and delicious without a hint of added sugar, and you can make them vegan or low-calorie if that’s your thing, too. Grab the blender, pull out some citrus, and try these easy, family-friendly smoothies that everyone will enjoy.

1. Strawberry Orange Smoothie

Here’s a super simple smoothie that we think even a fruit-resistant toddler will go for—for one thing, it’s pink, and for another it features three fruits most kids can’t resist—strawberries, raspberries, and fresh Florida oranges.

2. Sunshine Smoothie

Step it up a notch with this tropical delight, featuring frozen banana, frozen mango, and frozen pineapple along with oranges. It’s like a trip to a sunny, warm island in your breakfast glass—perfect for the winter blahs, and packed with vitamin C and A.

3. Strawberry Citrus Ginger Smoothie

I feel like this choice would be sure to wake me up—a strawberry-orange-ginger smoothie. Wow! This one is low-calorie, if that’s a concern for you, and refreshingly bright, not heavy.

4. Grapefruit Tangerine Smoothie

Here’s a grapefruit-tangerine smoothie that gets its natural sweetness from citrus, dates, and banana! The original recipe calls for almond milk, but you could try it with dairy milk or other milks as well. It’s a pretty pink color that’ll have you thinking of spring too!

5. Creamsicle Smoothie

This dairy-free orange creamsicle smoothie calls for rich, delectable coconut milk along with 6 peeled oranges and a bit of orange zest. It serves 4 and will pack a serious vitamin C and flavonoid punch, thanks to the whole oranges and orange peel. Kids will love the orange juice sweetness and the vanilla flavor.

6. Strawberry Spinach Orange Smoothie

All right, but if what if you’re just a little braver or more nutrition-minded, and you’re ready to get in some veggie servings, too? I know parents who swear by the “green smoothie” to get vegetables into their most produce-resistant kids, and I’ve even met adults who say it’s the way they get their kale and spinach and other nutrient-rich greens in. While this one may look a little surprising, its ingredients are simple and delicious, and the sweet oranges and berries will make it taste great. Why not give it a try?

7. Healthy Orange Chocolate Shake

Finally, if you love chocolate, here’s one last choice that’s healthy and indulgent both—a chocolate-orange shake made with fresh orange juice, frozen bananas, and cocoa powder. That ought to work!

All right, I admit it…now I’m craving one of these treats. Enjoy your day—it’s bound to start off well after you’ve enjoyed one of these delicious and healthy drinks.

Thanks to Sally at Sally's Baking Addiction and Kari at GI365 for sharing their wonderful pictures!

30 Years of Peak Flavor: The Story of Florida Fruit Shippers

All successful companies have an origin story. Whether the business started out in a garage, over beers, or as a great idea in the shower one day, it all took off from somewhere. Where did Florida Fruit Shippers begin?

The story starts in Gulfport, Florida, back in 1983. At the time, our owner Rick DelGreco’s wife was working at a produce market. She enjoyed it so much that the husband and wife began talking about opening their own market. That dream came true when the Vegetable Kingdom market opened its doors in 1983.

Rick served as chief buyer--and from the beginning, he was committed to selling properly ripened, high quality produce at its peak of flavor. In fact, the Vegetable Kingdom’s motto was “Tomatoes that taste like tomatoes.”

Now, this motto may not sound too unusual in today’s world of farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture subscriptions, and constant reminders to eat fresh! But back in 1983, things were pretty different. (Remember when “salad” meant a bowl full of iceberg lettuce? Compare to today’s world of arugula, spring greens, butter lettuce, and kale.) So Rick’s attention to freshness and quality really put him ahead of the curve.

The market was a success, but Rick soon recognized a bigger opportunity: sharing Florida’s delicious and high-quality citrus fruit with others. Vegetable Kingdom began working with local citrus growers and packinghouses to pack and ship gift fruit. Then, in 1986, the fledgling company began shipping oranges and grapefruit across the country and around the world, through CompuServe’s Electronic Mall.

This was the first online marketplace in the nation, so Rick was ahead of the curve once again! And things really took off. You can learn more about Florida Fruit Shippers’ early entry to the world of Internet commerce on our blog. (Bonus: Video of Bryant Gumbel looking unsure about this whole “online shopping” thing.)

Today, FFS does still sell its products at some physical outlets, but about three-quarters of our business is conducted online or by mail order. But while computers and the net have changed dramatically since 1985 (wouldn’t you love to go back in time and show them what smartphones would look like?), Rick says that customer preferences actually aren’t that different from what they were back then.

In fact, FFS’s most popular item is and has been the always-lovable sweet, juicy, and seedless navel orange. Tangy, refreshing ruby red grapefruit is and has been another very strong seller. Our unique and extra-flavorful Honeybells have been a favorite for years, too. And FFS has been shipping out boxes and boxes of our classic “Sunshine Deluxe” package (which includes oranges, grapefruit, and a few other treats) for decades.

Of course, FFS also works with growers to offer new varieties we think our customers will enjoy. For instance, we’ve recently begin to sell the small but deeply sweet and flavorful Page orange, or, this year, the Seville, a unique sour orange used in marinades, marmalades and mixed drinks.

Back in the old days at Vegetable Kingdom, Rick got up at 4 am—something he might be glad not to have to do anymore. And while it used to just be Rick and his wife, FFS now routes its orders through a phone room and mailing center with many employees. However, we think you’ll find that our dedication to quality fruit and top-notch customer service remain the same as ever. We’ve enjoyed serving Florida and the nation for over 30 years.

A very unusual Honeybell harvest this year

The New Year always starts with a bang thanks to Honeybell season. The fruit matures in early to mid- January and usually only lasts for a few weeks before the fruit becomes overly mature. Demand always exceeds supply at the start of the year and crews fan across the state to harvest the first Honeybells and rush them back to the packing house amidst a cacophony of ringing phones and recipients desperate for their Honeybell fix.

Of course the Honeybell season actually begins quietly, in the Spring, when the rising temperatures and Spring rains cause the Honeybells, and all citrus varieties, to burst into bloom. The air is filled with their sweet perfume and it seems that there is nothing more wonderful than the smell of citrus blossoms carried on the breeze.

But in the Spring of 2015 something very unusual happened: the Honeybell trees blossomed as they always do in early March. But, imagine our surprise when, three weeks later, they bloomed again! We can’t remember this ever happening before. Ten months on we were confronted with the unusual situation of having essentially two crops on each tree, one maturing three weeks later than the other.

The picture above, taken on January 23rd, 2016, shows two Honeybells side by side on the tree, partially obscured by leaves. The Honeybell on the left is orange-red in color and has the classic Honeybell flavor. The one on the right is yellow in color, and while it has good Honeybell flavor, its acid level is higher, making it more tart. Sampled alone, both would be enjoyable. But when sampled together you would be inclined to think that the one on the right is not fully ripened.

As you can see, It’s not that easy to distinguish between the two on the tree. Many have chosen to harvest all the fruit at once. But packed together in the same gift box, the contrast would be most apparent. We elected to treat them as two different crops, letting the piece of fruit on the right, and all other like-minded Honeybells, continue to ripen and reach peak flavor and maturity. To accomplish this, we trained each individual harvester in the field to distinguish between the two blooms on the tree.

No one is perfect, so we also trained each packer to recognize the two blooms in an effort to ensure that no mistakes made it into the gift fruit cartons. Only then did we begin harvesting the first bloom and filling fruit requests.

We have almost completed the first pass and are now looking at harvesting the second flush of fruit just now reaching its color and flavor peak. Weather permitting, the Honeybell season could last through February, and that is very unusual indeed.

California Citrus vs. Florida Citrus: Which Should You Choose?

Here’s a quiz for you: which beach is in California and which beach is in Florida?

Both scenes are beautiful, but if you guessed that A is in Florida and B is in California, you’re right. In both pictures, we see sand, surf, palm trees, and a warm-weather paradise…but that aqua-blue water gives us away!

Just like these two beaches, oranges and other citrus from Florida and California may look similar at first glance--but they’re actually very different. Let’s take a look at how Florida citrus compares to California citrus, so that you, the consumer, can make an informed choice.

According to famous author John McPhee, who wrote an entire book about oranges, Californians say you have to “get into a bathtub” before you eat a Florida orange, while Floridians say you can’t make a damp spot on pavement with a California orange, even if you run it over with a truck! This difference is all about rainfall. Down here, as all of us who live here know, we get more than plenty. (It storms just about every afternoon in summer!) Out in California, especially recently, it’s often bone dry.

• California oranges are “orange-r.”

Why? Weather again. The nights in California are chillier than they are here in extra-balmy Florida, and cooler weather (below 55 degrees) brings out the deeper orange. In particular, you may notice that Florida navels are paler in color than California navels. However, deepness of color is not an indicator of deepness of taste! Did you know that in tropical countries, oranges often ripen completely without really turning orange at all?

• Florida oranges are bigger.

So…does size matter? Well, yes and no. Customers expect oranges to be a certain size—it’s just what they’re used to. Here in Florida, navels sometimes get so big (think bigger than a softball!) that they’re a bit hard for us to sell. Likewise, some varieties turn out kind of puny on the West Coast.

• California citrus is more likely to have a flawless finish.

All our afternoon rainstorms can get a little, well, stormy, meaning our trees get blown around a bit. When this happens, our fruit may end up with a few superficial scars and scratches. Personally, we like to think it adds character. But if you want a picture-perfect orange that looks almost like it could be made of plastic, a California orange might be what you’re looking for. Their lives tend to be a bit more sheltered

• Florida oranges are thinner-skinned.

The higher humidity and rainfall here in Florida make for a thinner-skinned fruit. We think this is a positive (ever peeled an orange and felt like there wasn’t actually much left by the time you got the skin off?) However, it’s true that this softer, thinner skin can sometimes be a little harder to remove.

• California citrus is more acidic, while Florida citrus is sweeter.

Once again, climate is the key. The lower temperatures in California groves pump up acidity levels in their fruit, while the milder, more tropical weather in Florida means our fruit is sweeter. This is why Florida doesn’t grow lemons (they just wouldn’t be tangy enough), while California doesn’t grow grapefruit (too much pucker!) It also means that certain other sweet varieties grow better in one state than the other. Tangelos and Honeybells, for instance, are delicious when grown in Florida, but aren’t well suited to the California climate.

So, should you choose Florida or California citrus? That depends on what you want. If a thick-skinned, bright orange fruit with less juice and more acid appeals to you, go for California citrus. But if juicy sweetness is what really matters, we suggest you “pick” Florida citrus for yourself and your friends and family. We think you’ll be pleased.

How to Host a Christmas Cookie Swap with Delicious Citrus Cookies

What’s your favorite part of Christmas? Is it the family time with relatives, buying and sharing gifts, the beautiful holiday music, the special seasonal activities and traditions? Or could it be one of my favorite things about the holidays…the delicious food?

As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I absolutely love to bake holiday cookies, and have developed quite a list of favorites over time. In fact, every year I try to make an assortment of especially pretty cookies, which I package up into pretty bags or boxes, and gift to teachers, neighbors, and other friends and acquaintances. I always bake a variety of flavors and types, and I like to make the presentation a little fancy. I think my favorite year was the one when I bought white paperboard boxes and my daughter drew elaborate designs all over them in colored pens (she’s quite the artist, and spent much more time on it than I ever would have!)

However, I have to admit that this task can take up quite a bit of time at a season when I’m already just so busy. Have you ever considered hosting a holiday cookie swap? I went to one once, and I keep meaning to host my own. This is a fun way to get in some social time and to pack up beautiful cookie gifts to distribute while not actually having to do all the baking yourself!

To host a swap, send out invitations to 5-8 friends a couple of weeks before, explaining that you’ll all be bringing cookies so you can share them and make up varied cookie boxes, bags, and tins for friends. Ask them to bring a dozen cookies for each attendee, plus some extra for sampling. Coordinate to make sure you’re not duplicating types of cookie. If you like, you can provide simple bags, boxes, tins, tags, and twine, or ask your guests to bring them.

When guests arrive, you’ll have a tasty snack already available (just add coffee and tea, or wine or after-dinner drinks) and everyone can socialize, pack up their cookie gifts, and enjoy themselves rather than spending time finding recipes, buying many different ingredients, and dirtying many dishes making multiple types of cookie.

So what kind of cookies will you bring to this year’s party or cookie swap or just bake to stock your own family’s cookie jar? While I enjoy traditional favorites, like sugar cookies, my mother-in-law’s nutmeg logs, and my mom’s famous pecan tartlets, I like to make sure to include some delicious citrus-flavored cookies as well. I think the flavor of oranges, tangerines, and lemons adds some much-needed brightness, freshness and sparkle to the holiday platter. Why not take advantage of these traditional (and in-season) holiday fruit?

But which citrus cookie recipe to choose? There are so many incredible choices. We’ve collected a few for you.

• Take a look at this gorgeously elegant Orange Shortbread with Dark Chocolate and Pistachios. If you want to knock your gift recipients’ socks off, these are one excellent option! I love how these combine the rich taste of chocolate with the aroma of orange, and the pale green pistachios really give it a Christmassy look.
   
• For something a bit homier, go with these Super Soft Clementine Cookies, which can also be made with other citrus, like oranges or tangerines.
   
• Or how about these dainty Lacy Almond-Orange Cookies, which feature the haunting flavor of anise along with orange zest? Cookies like these won’t be on just any cookie platter.
   
• What could be more festive than these adorable cranberry-orange pinwheels, which star two traditional holiday flavors? After chilling the dough, you just slice and bake—really easy.
   
• These soft, frosted orange-ricotta cookies are a tried and true Italian Christmas favorite. The beautiful bits of orange zest in the icing add that real orange flavor!
   
• Baking gluten-free? Oranges and almonds are a time-tested, classic combination, and this simple gluten-free (egg- and grain-free, too) recipe for Orange Almond Cookies will meet your recipient’s needs while also tasting delicious.
   
• Finally, my daughter, who has interesting tastes for a middle-schooler, thinks it’s just not Christmas without homemade biscotti. It’s true that they’re very tasty! I suggest these orange-almond biscotti dipped in chocolate, which will add a sophisticated touch to any cookie plate.

Enjoy your holiday and your delicious cookies!

Gorgeous, Easy Holiday Decorating with Florida Citrus

I’m not quite sure how it happened, but Christmas is really sneaking up on us. I’ve got my tree up, the holiday music is playing, and I’m about to start baking up a storm (I love holiday cookies). Don’t talk to me about shopping, though!

Every year, my family and I make holiday ornaments and decorations of one kind or another. Sometimes they’re just for one season, like the time we strung popcorn on garlands (not that easy!), or the fragile paper snowflakes we make and hang in the windows every year. Others stay on our tree for years, like the sweet, glitter-crusted cardboard ornaments my children created when they were toddlers.

This year, I decided to make use of my lovely, ripe winter citrus in my holiday decorating. You might enjoy trying this, too, for a simple, yet beautiful Christmas look. As you may know, oranges have long been associated with the holidays. It used to be very common for children to receive an orange in the toe of their stockings, back when fresh citrus was more of a costly luxury. In Germany, children still traditionally receive oranges, nuts, and candy in their shoes on December 6, which is celebrated as St. Nicholas’s Day. And many of us just naturally associate the beautiful color and fresh, sweet taste of citrus with holiday treats and gifting.

After seeing the idea showcased on blogs and Pinterest, I decided to try drying some orange slices to hang in my windows and on my Christmas tree this year. I started with seedless navel oranges (citrus with seeds are harder to handle and don’t dry as well) and sliced them a little more than ¼” thick. Try to slice your oranges as evenly as you can, or you will have problems later with them drying unevenly.

A number of blogs suggested drying the orange slices directly on the oven rack, but I was worried that they would fall through, so I took the cooling racks I use for baked goods and put them on the oven racks, then placed the slices on those. This worked perfectly. I found that a temperature of about 215 degrees was about right, but your oven may vary.

The oranges took about 2.5 hours to dry all the way. You’ll want them to be dry and leathery, with no juice remaining, but not brown. Watch them carefully toward the end.

(By the way, I took advantage of this long, slow oven baking period and also dried some orange peel to make into citrus salt and citrus sugar! You can read more about how to make these gourmet items here.)

The finished dried orange slices have a lovely translucent quality that will remind you of stained glass. They look beautiful hanging in a window, strung onto a garland or a wreath or on a tree. Here you can see an ornament I made on my tree and a simple ornament with a cinnamon stick tied on hanging in my window. By the way, you can also store these dried slices and enjoy the orange flavor they add to a cup of hot tea.

These lovely, inexpensive natural ornaments are equally at home among rustic décor or in a more elegant environment. Check out these more elaborate variations, prettied up with dried flowers and ribbons. Or here’s one with cranberries and cinnamon sticks.

Not feeling up to drying slices? There are still so many ways to incorporate beautiful oranges, tangerines, and other citrus into your holiday décor. There’s not much simpler than placing a bright cloth, a few sprigs of pine or fir and some oranges or tangerines on a table, but it looks warm and beautiful. Or try the slightly more sophisticated look of tangerines, vintage ornaments, and fir or spruce boughs on a decorative plate—a simple yet elegant centerpiece at low cost.

Of course, you’ll also want to enjoy delicious treats and beverages made from oranges, grapefruits, tangerines and other citrus fruits during this holiday season!

Look for other posts coming up soon with festive recipes featuring fresh citrus. Happy holidays!