Rare Citrus Varieties in November!

See our October 22, 2011 Newsletter for the info on the rare citrus varieties we'll be shipping in November! Delicious, heirloom varieties not available anywhere else. Friends and family will love them, and don't forget to treat yourself! Check it out here....

Fun Facts on Marmalade

• Marmalade was invented in the late 18th century in Dundee Scotland
• A man by the name of James Kellier came upon a large shipment of oranges being sold cheaply
• He bought all of them only later to find out they were too bitter and hard to sell
• His kind wife decided to try making jam with the oranges and thus invented Marmalade named after the portuguese name for quince paste .
• Even today you can buy James Kellier and Son Dundee Marmalade. 
• Marmalade is enjoyed on breakfast tables around the globe with family recipes and many manufacturers 
• The Orange shop sells many varieties of marmalade for you to enjoy such as temple orange, orange, pineapple and cherry, honeybell and grapefruit. 
• What will your favorite be?

Source:
http://britishfood.about.com/od/diningdrinkingtradition/a/Marmalade.htm

Citrus Infused Ice cream

This wonderful citrus infused ice cream comes from the Florida based food blog Moveable Feasts ... feasts for the palate eye and the mind

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Finely grated rind of 2 or 3 oranges
• Finely gated rind of 1 or 2 lemons
• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups freshly squeezed and sieved orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed and sieved lemon juice

Method:

1. Place the milk in the top of a double boiler over hot water on medium heat. Add the grated rinds and let cook uncovered until small bubbles appear around the edge.
2. In a small bowl, stir the yolks lightly with a whisk just to mix. Stirring constantly, temper the eggs with half the hot milk mixture. Then add everything back to the top of the double boiler. Add the sugar, syrup and salt.
3. Stir until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon...about 180° on a candy thermometer
4. Strain the mixture. This is very important because the rinds will stick to the paddles on your ice cream machine.
5. Set aside to cool. Add the cream and both juices. Chill in the fridge until very cold and then freeze in your churn, according to directions.

Moroccan Lamb Stew

This Moroccan inspired stew flavored with a fun range of spices and grapefruit rind comes from Chow and Chatter

Ingredients:

• 3 lamb chopped chopped up
• 1/2 a teaspoon of fennel seeds
• 1/2 a teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1/2 a teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• freshly ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• about 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro 
• a little grated grapefruit rind
• 5-6 chopped dried apricots
• one chopped of diced plum tomatoes
• one can of chick peas
• one teaspoon ginger/garlic paste
• one pack of cous cous with frozen vegetables added
• 4 chopped shallots
• one stick of cinnamon

Method:

1. mix the spices together 
2. then add to lamb as a rub
3. heat some olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and saute the shallots for 3 minutes
4. add the lamb and brown add water as needed to stop it sticking
5. then add cilantro, ginger/garlic paste and grapefruit rind and cinnamon
6. add can of tomatoes and chick peas and about 1/2 - 1 cup of water  
7. simmer for 45 min to one hour
8. serve with cous cous 

Orange Sugar Cookies

This simple and wonderfully citrus infused cookie recipe comes from Chow and Chatter.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 oz of butter softened
• 3 oz of sugar 
• one egg separated
• 7 oz of plain flour
• rind of one orange
• 2-3 tablespoon of orange juice
• about 1/2 a cup of icing sugar and a little water to mix to a paste
• sprinkles to decorate 

Method:

1. cream the butter and sugar and slowly add egg yolk
2. add the flour, orange rind and orange juice forming a soft dough
3. roll out the mixture  and cut about 15 small rounds with a cookie cutter I used a cup :-)
4. place on baking paper, prick with a fork 
5. paste a little whisked egg white onto the cookies and sugar 
6. bake at 400 for 12- 15 minutes

when cool drizzle with icing and add sprinkles 

Grapefruit as an Aid for Weight Loss

A recent study published in the Nutrition and Metabolism Journal and conducted at Vanderbilt University found that people who consumed 1/2 a grapefruit or 1/2 a glass of grapefruit juice or water while on a low calorie diet lost weight.  Also lowering weight circumference and BMI (Body Mass Index).
While the water and grapefruit juice drinking group both lost weight the grapefruit consuming group also had other positive health benefits, increasing HDL (good cholesterol), decreasing appetite and increasing vitamin C and fiber intake.


Source

1. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-research-suggests-grapefruit-can-play-a-role-in-weight-loss-success-120766839.html

Mango, Orange and Ginger Smoothie

This wonderful smoothie recipe comes from Zesty South Indian kitchen, a food blog filled with wonderful Indian recipes and cultural information.


Ingredients:

• Mango: 1 (chopped it will yield 1 cup)
• Pineapple: 1 cup chopped 
• Orange: 1 
• Ice: ½ cup
• Water: 3/4 cup
• Candied ginger: 2 pieces

Method:

1. Combine orange juice, chopped pineapple, mango, ice and water and candied ginger in a blender; cover and blend until creamy. 
2. Serve immediately. 

100 % Orange Juice Linked to Better Health

Good news for lovers of 100% orange juice, not only does it taste amazing its great for you. A recent study looking at data from The National Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003-2006 found that people who drank 100% orange juice had a better diet and lower risk of being overweight 16% lower in fact. Their diets were higher in vitamin C, folate, magnesium and potassium. 

So drink your orange juice with a smile on your face your making some great lifestyle choices.

Source:

1. http://www.foodbev.com/report/100-orange-juice-linked-to-better-diet

Citrus Margarita

This fun Margarita recipe comes from Sweet Life - Cooking, eating, living my sweet life in Texas. This wonderful food blog features Mexican and Texan dishes heart felt family posts and is a must read

Citrus Margarita

by Sweet Life

by Vianney Rodriguez

makes 4 margaritas

• lime or orange wedges
• candied orange peel salt
• 1 cup tequila
• 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
• 1/2 cup orange juice 
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup Cointreau
• ice cubes

Method:

On a small plate spread salt.  With lime or orange wedges moisten rim of 6 ounce glasses.  Dip glasses into salt.   Place glasses into freezer to chill.

In a pitcher combine tequila, grapefruit, orange juice, lime juice and Cointreau.  Remove glasses from freezer and serves margaritas mixture over ice. Serve
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Candied Orange Peel Salt Mix

by Sweet Life

by Vianney Rodriguez

• 2 oranges
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup of sugar 
• 2 tablespoons salt

Cut off top and bottoms of oranges. Peel and remove pith.  Cut rind into strips.  Place water and 1 cup sugar in saucepan, when sugar has dissolved add orange strips and let the mix come to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes. Remove strips and drain well.  Toss strips in the 1/2 cups sugar and allow to dry overnight on cooling rack.  Add strips to food processor with the 2 tablespoons of salt.  Pulse until  you reach your desired texture.  Rim your glass and enjoy. Store in airtight container.

Gluten Free Orange Cake

This wonderful orange cake comes from My Man's Belly a fun LA based food blog with first class recipes and fun relationship advice :-)

Recipe: Flourless Orange Cake

Recipe adapted from The Cook’s Companion

Ingredients

• 2 Large Oranges (thoroughly washed)
• 6 Eggs
• 8.78 Ounces Almond Flour/Finely Ground Almonds
• 8.78 Ounces Superfine Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Double Acting Baking Powder
• Butter
• Flour (for dusting pan)

Directions

1. Cover oranges in a medium-sized pot with water. Bring to a boil, place the lid on the pot and lower heat to a simmer, and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Remove the oranges from the water, allow to cool, cut open, remove and throw out any seeds.
3. Once cool, roughly chop up oranges, including the rind.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
5. Butter and flour a 9 inch springform pan. This batter is really wet, so make sure that your springform pan forms a tight seal. To be safe, I still folded foil underneath and up the sides.
6. Add the oranges and eggs to your food processor and purée .
7. Thoroughly mix together the ground almonds, superfine sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
8. Gradually add the egg-orange mixture, to the dry ingredients, whisking to combine.
9. Scrape all of the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour; the cake is done when it’s a deep golden brown, pulls slightly away from the sides, and the top springs back when touched. If cake is still very wet, cook a little longer.
10. Cool completely in the pan before gently removing the sides of the pan.
11. Store, tightly wrapped, in fridge.

Notes

* To make superfine sugar, just measure out the same amount of granulated sugar. Pulse in the food processor until sugar grains are much finer. Do not process it into powder

For chocolate ganache, see the ganache recipe I used to make the truffles at Christmas.  Drizzle over cake while still warm.  Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Cooking time (duration): 75 minutes

Diet (other): Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 8

Meal type: dessert

Orange Polenta Cake

This amazing and creative recipe comes from Cake Duchess and like the name you will find amazing baked goods on her blog:





Screwdriver Cake-Caramelized Orange Olive Oil Cake

• 2/3 cup plain yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 vodka (if you don’t like to use alcohol, you could use a 1/2 cup total orange juice)
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
• 2-3 small oranges sliced about 1/8 inch thick

Caramel ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse and dry your oranges. Cut the ends off of the oranges and slice the rest of the oranges about 1/8 inch thick. Take out all the seeds.

Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 4 tablespoons of water in a 8-inch cast-iron or oven proof skillet on medium heat. Swirl the water the around so that the water combines in the sugar. Stir constantly until it turns golden brown and starts to caramelize. As soon as it changes color, remove from the heat and add the 3 tablespoons butter. Let it melt and swirl it around to combine.
Arrange the sliced oranges in a concentric patter on top of the caramel. Set the pan aside.


In a small bowl, add the orange juice and vodka. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another medium sized bowl, beat the egg whites until they are soft with fluffy peaks. Set aside the beaten egg whites.

In a clean bowl of a mixer, beat the sugar with the olive oil until combined (about 1 minute).

On medium speed, beat in the egg yolks one at a time until combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add 1/2 of the vodka/orange juice and beat for about a minute. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture. Stop the mixer and with a spatula, scrape down the sides of your pan to combine all the flour mixture. Add the rest of the vodka mixture and beat for about a minute. Add the rest of the flour mixture and the 3 tablespoons of sour cream (or Greek yogurt).

Stop the mixer and fold in the egg whites gently until combined and you don’t see any more white streaks.



Spoon the batter on top the caramelized orange mixture. Even out the top of the batter with a spatula. Bake about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. After the cake has cooled for about 10 minutes, run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place your serving plate on top of cake upside down. Carefully and quickly invert the pan onto your serving plate. Make sure you hold the handle of the pan with an oven mitt because the handle will still be scorching hot. Replace any oranges to the top of the cake that maybe came off when you flipped it.

Sweet Orange Bread

This delightful orange bread comes from a fun Florida based food blog, full of great family tales and first class recipes  Moveable Feasts- feasts for the plate the eye and the mind:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large oranges (to yield 1 1/3 cups juice)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 and put a rack 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven. Butter two loaf pans (8  1/2 x 4  1/2 x 2  1/2) and then coat them lightly with fine, dry bread crumbs.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
With a vegetable peeler, remove the thin, bright colored outer rind of about 2  1/2 oranges and reserve it. Squeeze the oranges. You will need 1  1/3 cups juice. Set it aside.
Cut the rind into slivers. Place the rind, sugar and water into a saucepan. Stir over high heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and let mixture boil gently without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir to melt. Beat the eggs lightly just to mix and stir them in. Pour this over the dry ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.
Pour into prepared pans. Shake gently to level batter. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out dry.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to racks to finish cooling.

Temple Oranges

Temple Oranges originate from Jamaica. They were discovered in the 1800's in the jungles a natural hybrid between a mandarin and sweet orange and later brought to Florida. They are affectionately called the Queen of the crop with easy to peel skin, a rich aroma and divine taste, in fact they are our most popular spring orange. 

But due to their delicate nature a lot of grocery stores don't stock them, but fear not as we have been successfully shipping them for 70 years so why not put a little spring in your step with these wonderful oranges ?

First Class Citrus Salmon Recipe

This wonderful recipe comes from Mission: Food- Nothing is Impossible a fun filled food blog, with first class cuisine cooked by a young passionate chef :-)

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Citrus-Balsamic Vinaigrette


Serves 4
(Slightly Adapted from The Union Square Cafe Cookbook)
(Printable Version)

Sauce:
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 anchovy fillet, very finely minced (optional)
2 T. finely minced onion
2 tsp. each chopped parsley, basil, and mint
2 T. finely minced orange zest
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Salmon:
4 (6-oz) fillets of salmon, skin on or off
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 T. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a glass jar, cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Reserve.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste. In an oven-proof skillet large enough to hold all the salmon, heat the olive oil over high heat. Place the salmon in the pan with its skin side down. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until medium-rare, or longer if desired. Transfer the cooked salmon to a serving platter and keep warm while finishing the sauce.

Wipe out any remaining olive oil in the skillet and add the sauce. Heat through for a few seconds over high heat, spoon the sauce over the salmon, and serve.

Orange and Yoghurt Cake

This wonderfully moist orange infused cake comes from Zesty South Indian Kitchen a fun food blog filled with great Western and Traditional Indian recipes:


Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: 1½ cup / 210 g (I used Unbleached King Arthur flour)
• Granulated sugar: ¾ cup/156g
• Unsalted butter: 3 tablespoon
• Canola oil: ¼ cup/ 46g
• Yogurt: 1/3cup (I used home made one)
• Baking soda: ¼ teaspoon
• Baking powder: ¼ teaspoon (I used aluminum free one)
• Salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Vanilla extract: ½ teaspoon/2g
• Orange Zest: 1 tablespoon
• Orange juice: ½ cup (about 3 oranges)
• Freshly grated ginger: ½ tablespoon

For orange syrup

• Orange juice: 1/5 cup
• Sugar: ½ tablespoon 

Method:

Preheat oven 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line the 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the sides and set aside.

Zest the orange and extract the juice from them and set aside. Grate ginger using a micro plane or a zester and set aside.

Mix the orange zest with sugar and set aside.

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In bowl mix oil, melted butter and sugar and beat them until everything gets incorporated well. To this add orange juice, yogurt, vanilla extract and mix again for 30 seconds, to this gradually add eggs at time (I forgot this added two eggs at same time) and combine everything well.

To this add dry ingredients as two addition, mix well during every addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 28 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes and remove it and cool in the wire rack for another 1 hour.

While cake is cooling make orange syrup by reducing orange juice and sugar in medium heat for about 3 minutes. Pour the syrup over the cooled cake. 

Enjoy!

Orange, Basil Hibiscus Tea

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons of dried hibiscus flowers 
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 2 slices of fresh orange
• 2 leaves of Thai Basil

Method:

1. add to a travel infuser tea mug with a filter with boiling water steep for 1-2 minutes 
2. pour and enjoy

A Fun Citrus Cocktail

I thought it would be fun to post a citrus cocktail in case you were wanting something a little special for a super bowl party this wonderful cocktail comes from Tomatoes on the vine, a fun Florida based food blog:

Ingredients:

recipe from Bon Appetit 

3 clementines or 1-2 tangerines peeled

3 dashes of orange bitters

1/4 cup Hendricks's Gin (A smooth Scottish cucumber infused gin-worth seeking out) or other good quality gin

1/4 cup Campari

3 tablespoons sweet vermouth

Ice cubes

2 clementines or one tangerine, sliced for garnish

Directions:

Place 3 whole peeled clementines or tangerine and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker and muddle until the clementines or tangerines are broken down.  Add gin, Campari, and vermouth.  Fill shaker 3/4 full with ice.  Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.  Strain into two martini glasses, dividing equally.  Garnish each with a clementine or tangerine slice.

Sugar Belles

Sugar Belles were recently created by the University of Florida they are a cross between a honeybell and clementine. They look like a minneola and have a rich flavor and wonderful sweetest. They are also a great source of vitamin C. 

The sugar belle is a perfect size and color and live up to their name sweet and beautiful. They are just coming into season and since we have been shipping them a year ago, they are been a great success. 

Grapefruit Sorbet

This first class recipe comes from the Asheville based food blog A Spicy Perspective 



Grapefruit Basil Sorbet  Fat Free*Gluten Free*Dairy Free


Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1 packed cup of basil leaves
• pinch of salt
• 4 large ruby red grapefruits, juiced

Method:

1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling add the lemon zest, basil leaves and salt. Stir, remove from heat, and cover. Steep the basil leaves in the simple syrup for at least 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add the lemon juice to a 4-cup measuring pitcher. Juice the grapefruits into the pitcher until you’ve measured 3 cups of combined juices. 
3. Strain the simple syrup and discard the basil leaves. Then mix the syrup with the juice. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or to speed up, put in the freezer for 1 hour.)
4. Pour the sorbet mixture into an electric ice cream maker. Turn on and mix for 20+ minutes, until the mixture reaches a “soft serve” consistency.
5. Eat immediately, or put in an airtight container and freeze.
6. After frozen, allow the sorbet to sit out for 10-15 minutes to soften before serving.

Makes approximately 1 ½ quarts of heaven!

*If you don't own an ice cream machine, you could freeze the mixture and shave it with a spoon for "Italian Ice."

Belgian Endive Salad with Orange

The following wonderfully healthy recipe comes from Angies Recipes a food blog based in Germany its a great way to start of the new year :-)



Dressing

• 50 g Plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp Walnut oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Honey
• 2/3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Orange peel, finely grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad 

• 2 head Belgian endive
• 2 Oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 Avocado, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 10 Black olives, cut into rings
• 5 Grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 Small red onion, cut into thin strips

Method:

1. Whisk together plain yogurt, walnut oil, mustard, honey, and red wine vinegar until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready for use.
2. Cut the ends off endives, separating leaves. 
3. Arrange Belgian endive, orange sections and avocado slices in a serving bowl. Scatter with the olive rings, grape tomato halves, and onion strips. Drizzle the dressing over and serve with some bread.

Honeybells

Honeybell's are adored by many for their exceptional sweetness and juice. They are in fact a hybrid of an orange, grapefruit and tangerine made in the 1930's in Florida. Due to them being difficult to grow they are only available in January. 

Nearly all honeybells grow along the Indian river in Florida and growers are careful during harvesting as not to damage the bell shaped stem, the reason for their name.

Due to their juiciness its recommended to use a knife to slice segments over a plate and catch the juice. Here at the Orange Shop our grandfather used to joke that the only way to eat a honeybell is in the bathtub!

So why not start the new year with a delicious treat from Florida order your honeybells today.