Chase Away the Winter Doldrums, Try a Blood Orange!
by Bonnie Swank

As the holidays approach and we begin to decorate our homes for this fest

For some of you during the cold and dreary months of winter the thought of venturing out of your nice warm cocoon to a farmers market is absurd. Yes this is the time of year when many markets are closed, but not all of them. If you do a little research you might be surprised how many year round markets there are. Yes you may have to drive a little farther but as many of you die hard market followers know there are plenty of delectable treasures out there to be found. One of those treasures is known as the blood orange. With ruby red segments and a tarter flavor, tarter than the sweeter varieties used for making your morning OJ, blood oranges are growing in popularity with chefs and foodies throughout California.

There is evidence this hybrid showed up in Southern Europe around 1850 and was brought to North America several decades later by Spanish and Italian immigrants. Known by many different names throughout the world the most common in the United States are Ruby, Blush or Moro oranges. California and Texas can grow a fruit with red pigmented flesh, but Florida falls short in the color department. Can you guess the reason why? Think about it and I’ll reveal the answer later.

So what is the fascination of the blood orange in the culinary world? The juice is not only exotic but those who like to create culinary delights find the tartness lends itself to both sweet and savory dishes. Can you imagine the cocktails you could make? So grab your umbrella and go in search of blood oranges or one of the many cousins, navel oranges, lemons or limes, any citrus you can find. All you have to do is cut into these balls of sunshine and your winter blues will go away.

Have you figured out why Florida blood oranges lack color? There is not enough variation in temperature between the day and nighttime hours.

~ Bonnie and her husband Dick Swank are owners of Swank Farms in Hollister. To learn more visit SwankFarms.com or contact them at: 831-637-4704