4 years ago

L&B Citrus Guide

Sweet, juicy citrus fruits are a bright, sunny choice during the cold winter months. They’re distinctly tangy, refreshing and rich in vitamin C. Here are a few of our favorite citrus fruits. How many have you tried?

Meyer Lemon – A cross between lemons and mandarin oranges. Meyer lemons are less sour than regular lemons, with a fragrant, edible skin. Perfect for lemonade, pies and sorbets.

Blood Orange – Moro blood oranges have a reddish orange peel, are nearly seedless and have a distinct, sweet flavor with a hint of raspberry. The intense dark red color of the citrus inside is due to a large amount of anthocyanin, the same pigment that colors purple grapes. Blood oranges make a striking garnish and their juice adds bright flavors to vinaigrettes and cocktails.

Cara Cara Orange – A type of navel orange, the Cara Cara is seedless and very easy to peel. Its flesh is as pink as a ruby red grapefruit, but it tastes more like a very complex tangerine: sweet and slightly tangy with just a hint of berry. Cara Cara’s superpower is that it’s one of the more nutrient-dense citrus fruits. They’re ideal for juicing or eating whole.

Ugli Fruit – A naturally-occurring hybrid between a tangerine or orange and a grapefruit. Also known as the Jamaican tangelo, the ugli fruit is known for its rough, wrinkled greenish-yellow rind with tart, refreshing orange citrus inside. Great in smoothies, on top of salads or chopped into a salsa.

Lime – While limes are too acidic to eat by themselves, their bittersweet juice and aromatic zest are a kitchen staple. The skin can be zested into everything from dinner to dessert, while the juice can be used in limeades, cocktails, soups, salad dressings and more.

Clementine – This hybrid between a mandarin and an orange can be separated into anywhere between 7 and 14 segments. Clementines are easy to peel, juicy and sweet, with less acid than oranges. Perfect for snacking or packing in lunchboxes.

Sumo Citrus – A hybrid of a navel orange and a Japanese Satsuma. The peel is bright orange, bumpy and loose, so it’s easy to remove. The sweet, juicy fruit inside is some of the best citrus you’ll ever eat! Like a giant clementine, the Sumo is great for snacking.

Texas Red Grapefruit – One of the sweetest and juiciest varieties of grapefruit, known for its colorful orange skin and deep, dark red citrus. Delicious served on salads, mixed with other fruits or eaten by itself as a snack.