Blood oranges are a deliciously sweet and vibrantly colored citrus fruit with a horrific moniker. They’re a little smaller than regular oranges, with thick, pitted skin that may or may not have a reddish blush, but they look like other oranges on the inside. The flesh is a bright dark pink, maroon, or dark blood red on the interior. Citrus plants in warm, temperate areas produce blood oranges. They are grown mainly in California and Florida in the United States and then shipped. Oranges can be eaten whole, juiced, or used in baked goods, drinks, salads, and other foods. Blood oranges have a notable and delectable raspberry edge to their flavor and stunning crimson color. To know the Types of Winter Oranges and Tangerines, read further.
Clementines are the mandarins known as Cuties and Sweeties in supermarkets. They peel more easily than tangerines but not as quickly as Satsumas. Satsuma Mandarins are a variety of mandarin oranges that originated more than 700 years ago in Japan. They’re a lighter orange color with a sweet, juicy texture and no seeds.
Types of Winter Oranges and Tangerines
In the warmer areas of North America, citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines come into the season throughout the winter months, bringing a touch of sunlight and some juicy respite to our winter meals.
The season for citrus fruits begins in November and lasts until June for the most part. For variety, look for oranges and tangerines that are heavy for their size and have thinner skin rather than thicker skin. Store them somewhere cool but not cold. Most of these kinds are deliciously eaten straight from the can, but for a more elegant presentation, cut them into “supremes.”
Tangerines and oranges are both cultivars of the same species. Tangerines are smaller and sweeter than oranges, which are larger and tarter, and tangerines have looser skin, making them easier to peel. Mandarins are citrus fruits that include tangerines and clementines. The smallest member of the mandarin family is the clementine.
Navel Oranges-
The most frequent orange variety consumed is navel oranges. Navels are sweet, seedless, and excellent, but they’re also great in salads. From November to June, navel oranges are in season.
Navel oranges have thicker skins than other oranges and a distinctive navel-shaped mark on the non-stem end. The juice from navel oranges is excellent for juicing, but because the juice is so sweet, it ferments quickly, so it utilizes it within a few hours. Use the fruit in a traditional orange and coconut ambrosia made with fresh orange slices, coconut, confectioner’s sugar, and orange juice. Make a vanilla citrus fruit salad using grapefruit, pineapple, lime juice, and powdered sugar with the oranges and vanilla.
Valencia Oranges-
Valencia oranges have thin skins and a few seeds and are incredibly juicy, making them the ideal (and most popular) orange for making orange juice. These oranges are also great as a fruit—watch out for the seeds.
If you’re going to squeeze a few, save some juice to prepare a Valencia cocktail, a delightful mix of apricot brandy, fresh orange juice, and orange bitters.
Blood Oranges-
Blood oranges are known for their bright red flesh, which varies in color intensity. The fruit’s otherwise orange skins may or may not have a slight crimson blush on the outside.
This orange is smaller and sweeter than the others, and it’s best eaten as a fruit rather than juice, if only to show off its vibrant color, like in a spinach salad with feta cheese. They’re also great as part of a dessert, like a cardamom cake or panna cotta.
Blood oranges are not generally available in North America, but they can be bought in specialized markets from November through March during their season. They may also be found in your local grocery.
Cara Cara Oranges-
Cara Cara oranges are a deliciously sweet navel orange variety grown in California from December to April. The vivid orange exterior conceals a juicy, often somewhat pink inside, making it ideal for citrus fruit salads and a satisfyingly sweet juice. It has a mild acidity and a nice zingy bite behind its sweetness with few seeds.
Seville Oranges-
Seville oranges, often known as sour oranges, are ideal for preparing marmalade because their natural sourness complements the massive amount of sugar used in this jelly. The acidity of Seville orange juice is ideal for cooking. Cocktails and salad dressings, in particular, might benefit from the more extensive flavor range provided by sour oranges versus lemons or limes. This fruit is small and only available for a brief period, beginning in December and ending in early February.
Tangerines are slightly smaller than oranges, with vivid orange skins and looser peels. Tangerines are fantastic for snacking and adding to salads. You can juice them for a slightly sweeter and brighter variation on conventional orange juice, making it perfect for a cocktail like a tangerine margarita. From November through May, the tangerine season runs longer than most other citrus fruits.
Clementines (A.K.A. Cuties)-
Clementines (also known as “Cuties” or “Sweeties” in the United States) are seedless oranges with a honey-like sweet flavor similar to tangerines. They’re best eaten by hand because of their small size, but they’re also great in a cornmeal cake or a salad with green beans and bulgur wheat. They’re also great for displaying and making informal, edible centerpieces because of their tight, shining orange skins.
Kumquats-
Kumquats are the tiniest commercially produced “oranges.” These beautiful little citrus fruits are somewhat sour and have the bonus of eating peeling. Eat it as is, but don’t make the mistake of trying to peel it; the peels are the sweetest part of the fruit. Kumquats can be used in various ways, from preserving them to producing marmalade to pureeing and adding them to a cream pie.
Mandarins-
Mandarins, often known as mandarin oranges, are a bit delicious tangerine. Because they include seeds, they are slightly less suitable for nibbling than seedless clementines. From January to May, this fruit has one of the longest seasons.
Mandarins are a popular canned fruit packaged in syrup that you may have tried. Purchase some fresh mandarins to experience their mild yet sweet flavor. Make a mandarin orange vinaigrette or a purple cabbage salad that includes the fruit in both the salad and the dressing.
Satsumas-
Satsumas are tangerines classified as a bit of mandarin orange kind. They are seedless and have loosely attached skin, making them extremely easy to peel. The skin of this citrus fruit does not need to be smooth and firm when purchased, but satsumas should be chosen carefully because the peel’s looseness makes bruising harder to detect.
Satsumas, like clementines, are seedless. Clementines and satsumas are frequently sold and promoted interchangeably, yet the distinction is easy to spot since clementines have tight peels while satsumas have loose peels.
For citrus fruit, Satsumas are relatively hardy. Although most satsumas come from California, the fruit’s growing range has stretched throughout the Gulf Coast of the United States. From November to January, this fruit is available. In recipes for Chinese chicken salad, Southern mandarin orange cake, and dessert sauce, canned mandarins can be substituted.
Kishus-
Kishus are tiny tangerines that resemble clementines in size, and this fruit is as sweet as candy when it is at its peak. These tiny tangerines are very hard to come by; they are only grown in California and Florida and are accessible in February and March. If you are fortunate enough to obtain some, take advantage of them while they are still fresh!
What is Mandarin Oranges?
The term “mandarin” oranges refer to a large citrus fruits category. In general, lamenting, Dancy, honey, pixie, satsuma, and tangerines along to this group, which is botanically defined as Citrus reticulata. Their similarities include a smaller size, glowing orange skin that is thin and easy to peel, and a sweet flavor.
Mandarins are available year-round in grocery shops and are often offered in 5-pound wooden crates or 2- to 3-pound mesh bags due to various kinds and growing regions. They’re prominently promoted throughout the winter months when California growers harvest and export fresh crops and many other fruits are out of season.
What are Kumquats?
Kumquats are little citrus fruits that grow on short shrub-like trees commonly utilized in warm areas of landscaping. Kumquats, native to eastern Asia and belonging to the same fruit family as oranges, lemons, and limes, are distinguished by their small size and edible peel. Depending on the variety, they can appear as early as November and as late as April, but they’re at their best around December and January. Kumquats can be candied, pickled, pureed, converted into marmalade, or washed and eaten whole.
How to Use Kumquats?
Kumquats are typically eaten whole and uncooked as a sweet-tart snack. They can be used as table decorations and a fruity palate cleanser as part of a holiday spread. The fruit is usually sliced or left whole and candied for a delightful addition to sweets or drinks. Kumquats, like oranges, can be pureed or juiced. Peeling is not required, but the tiny seeds must be strained out. Kumquats’ tartness is reduced when cooked, making them popular in marmalades, chutneys, and jams. These condiments add a sweet, tangy accent to savory foods like roasted or grilled meats.
What do Blood Oranges Taste Like?
The taste of blood oranges varies depending on the kind you try. They have a flowery or tart flavor and are less sour than regular oranges. Orange juice with raspberry, cranberry, or fruit punch flavors may be found in some variations. Blood orange has the same mouthfeel as a conventional orange, but the segments contain fewer seeds. On the other hand, blood oranges are prized for more than their vibrant flesh and nutritional benefits. Their flavor tastes like delicately sweet orange with zesty red grapefruit and undertones of tart cherries and raspberries. Blood oranges are deliciously eaten straight from the bag but don’t stop there.
Conclusion
Many individuals confuse oranges, mandarins, Tangerines, Clementines, and Satsumas because they are unfamiliar with the differences between these little citrus fruits. The phrases mandarin and tangerine are sometimes used interchangeably in the United States, even though they are not synonymous. While tangerines are a type of mandarin, they are not all mandarins.
