Delicious Winter Oranges

Oranges and tangerines are the bright sweet highlights of winter seasonal eating. Just as it seems all produce must be coming from across the world, citrus fruits come into season in the warmer climates of North America and bring juicy relief to winter diets. Citrus fruits start to come into season in November and for the most part the last remain in season into June.  

As for all citrus fruits, look for oranges and tangerines that feel heavy for their size and have thinner rather than thicker skin for the variety. Store them in a cool but not chilled spot. Most of these are fabulous for eating out of hand, but consider cutting them into "supremes" for a more elegant presentation.

Blood Oranges

 

 

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Blood oranges are famous for their deep red flesh. From the outside they may or may not have a bit of red blush on their otherwise orange skins. They're a smaller orange, quite sweet, and best used as fruit (rather than juice), if only to show off their beautiful color, as in this Citrus Salad with Mint. Blood oranges are not widely available in North America, but can be found at specialty markets during their season from November through March. Learn more about blood oranges here.

Cara Cara Oranges

 

Cara Cara oranges are wonderfully sweet navel oranges harvested in California between December and April. Their bright orange skins conceal interiors that are juicy and often just a bit pink – making them perfect for citrus fruit salads like this Citrus Pomegranate Salad. They have low acid and a great zingy bite behind their sweetness and tend to have very few, if any, seeds.

 

 

 

 

Clementines

 

Clementines (often marketed in the U.S. as "Cuties" or "Sweeties") are very small oranges and much like tangerines in their honey-like sweet flavor. Their small size means clementines are best eaten out of hand. I keep a bowl of them around during their short November-to-January season for snacking and after-dinner treats. Their tight, shiny orange skins make them perfect for display and creating casual, edible centerpieces. Unlike the similarly-sized mandarins, clementines are seedless. Learn more About Clementines here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kishus

 

Kishus are teeny tiny tangerines (they make clementines look like giants!) and, when at their best, are as sweet as candy. Look for them in February and March. Learn more About Kishus here.

 

 

 

 

 

Mandarins

Mandarins are a tangerine variety that are small and sweet. They do have some seeds, which makes them just the tiniest bit less desirable for snacking than the seedless clementines, but they have a much longer season - from January into May. Many people may only have had mandarins from a can. If you're one of those, give yourself a treat and buy some fresh mandarins to taste how mild yet sweet they are.

 

 

 

Navel Oranges

Navel oranges are the most common eating variety of oranges. They are sweet, seedless, and classic orange-sized perfect for eating out-of-hand but also delicious in things like this Fennel Orange Salad or Beet and Orange Salad. They have comparatively thick skins and a characteristic dimple on the not-stem end. Navel oranges are juicy enough to juice, if you like. The juice tends to be so sweet, however, that it ferments easily, so use any juice within a few hours. Navel oranges are in season from November into June.

 

 

 

 

Satsumas (a.k.a. Mikans)

 

Satsumas are a variety of small mandarin oranges. They are seedless and their skin is loosely attached to the fruit making them super easy to peel. It is one citrus fruit that need not have smooth, tight skin when you buy it. Choose satsumas carefully, however, since the peel's looseness makes bruising difficult to detect. Like clementines, satsumas are seedless. The two are often marketed and sold as each other - though the difference is easily told since clementines have tight peels and satsumas have loose peels.
Satsumas are relatively cold-hardy for citrus, extending their growing area around the Gulf Coast in the U.S. (although most satsumas come from California). Look for them in season from November through January.

Tangerines

 

Tangerines are smaller than oranges with bright orange skins and slightly looser peels than oranges. Great for eating and adding to salads (like this Tangerine Kiwi Salad, you can also juice tangerines for a slightly sweeter and brighter take on classic orange juice. They have a nice long season from November through May.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valencia Oranges

 

Valencia oranges have thin skins, some seeds, and are very juicy. They are the classic orange juice oranges, but are also perfectly delicious to eat as fruit (just mind the seeds).

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Reprint from ask.com By Molly Watson