Red Oranges
Over the course of a year the fruit that I eat the most of is either the banana (PLU #4011), which is remarkable in that it is in season throughout the year, or the large navel orange (PLU #4012), which is in season for about four months a year (roughly January-April). Traditionally I stay away from other oranges both because the navel oranges are so good and also because of the natural apprehension of the unknown. (Even sharks are not experimental gourmets; they only eat familiar food. When a shark attacks a human, it is usually because the shark mistakes a swimming human for a seal.) As the Fruit Explorer, however, I have been trying everything, and today I report on two oranges, the blood orange (PLU #4381) and the cara cara (PLU #3110). Both oranges are red on the inside but orange on the outside, though some blood oranges do have spIotches of red on the outside. I got both oranges on sale at Whole Foods; each blood orange cost seventy-five cents and each cara cara cost a dollar. Here are pictures of the displays at Whole Foods (taken later when the blood oranges were no longer on sale).
Here are pictures of blood oranges from the Internet, starting with a blood orange Valentine.
Here are pictures of cara cara oranges from the Internet.
I will admit to a flash of disgust when I cut into one of these and see the unnatural red color when I expect to see a soothing orange. The cara cara is somewhat larger than the blood orange. Below are my pictures. (The blood orange is on the left.)
- The unpeeled oranges.
- The peeled oranges.
- The segments from each orange.
- Close-up of a segment from each.
Now for the taste test. For the blood orange, the first step is to get past the gruesome name. Having managed this, I popped a segment into my mouth. You are perhaps expecting my usual statement that this fruit has little or no taste, but in this case the taste is strong and distinct. The problem is that I don't like it. Since the taste does not remind me of any other taste, I have no way to describe it. As a counterpoint, Mei-Mei, who is renowned for the exquisite sensitivity of her taste buds, finds blood oranges delectable. (I appear to be in the minority in not liking the taste of blood orange.) I next tried a wedge of cara cara. When I bit down, my mouth filled with an pleasing explosion of juice, which is the same sensation I get with a standard navel orange. Since the blood orange segments are smaller, you do not experience the same deluge of juicy delight. Visually, the blood orange is a rather unsettling shade of dark red, while the red of the cara cara is more muted. Both oranges are seedless and easy to peel.
The "Did You Know?" feature in the Stop&Shop circular for 23-29 January 2015 featured the blood orange. It said that the taste is "...an intense orange flavor with hints of raspberry." Apparently an unemployed wine snob has been reduced to writing for Stop&Shop.
The verdict: I plan to avoid the blood orange, but it might be pursued by someone who develops a taste for it. I consider the cara cara to be the equivalent of the standard large navel orange, so I will buy cara caras freely subject to availability and cost of other available oranges.
Since the cara cara is propagated by grafting, its tree is not of much interest. Here are pictures of the blood orange's tree, fruit, and flowers.
My search for blood orange products began by chance when I happened across a blood orange soda at Whole Foods. Below are pictures of the display and a close-up of the label. Perhaps this product was created to take advantage of the vampire craze.
The Internet provides quite a few blood orange commercial products. Start with alcoholic beverages. It should be noted that on 16 June 2014,Boston.com declared the blood orange crush to be the drink of the week. Also, blood orange margaritas are said to be chic. Finally, Oprah provides a recipe that tells you how to make your own blood orange vodka; see the last picture. Keep this in mind for your Halloween party.
[Continued n Part 2]
