Citrus Fruits
This time of year, oranges are shipped into one of my
favorite grocers by the crate full. The huge boxes of oranges, tangerines, and
grapefruit fills the air with their wonderful citrus smell. It is an aroma I
associate closely with Christmastime and it brings forth many happy memories.
If you are purchasing citrus or are given a boxful as a gift, you should know
how to store it properly, somewhere between 35° and 50° F. The best possible
storage is in the refrigerator. If that is impossible, choose a cool, dry place
for it. Do not keep citrus in plastic bags. It is important that the fruit not
be wrapped and should be exposed to air.
If you have an overabundance of oranges or grapefruit, try juicing it. We made
our own grapefruit cocktail when a relative from Florida gifted us with a couple
of cartons of grapefruit. I used the juicing attachment on my Kitchen Aid mixer.
Then mixed the juice with a bit of simple syrup (equal amounts of sugar and
water boiled together until sugar dissolved. We froze the juice and it was
excellent.
Remember that all the flavor isn't in the pulp or juice but also on the rind.
Zesting oranges, limes, lemons is easy with a zester (you can buy it at the
grocery store in the utensil section). Avoid the white pith and freeze or dry
briefly and the zest will help to add an extra bit of flavor to your recipes
that call for citrus juice. It's the essential oils in the zest that add that
extra tang to the recipes.
If you'd like to know when each variety of fruit is at it's best, there is a
wonderful chart detailing these facts at http://www.floridajuice.com/floridacitrus/season.htm
This site is loaded with information on nutrition and health facts, varieties of
fruit available and recipes. I encourage you to visit the site and see what it's
all about! I learned loads of information and was delighted with the ease of
getting around the site.
(C)2004 PennyAnnPoundwise is soley created,owned and written by Terri Cheney.
No portion of the newsletter may be reproduced without permission of the author.
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