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Winter is citrus season

A bowl of citrus (Photo provided — Yvona Fast)

Although our February days are getting longer, they’re still short and chilly. The ground is covered with a blanket of ice and snow. The skies gray and cloudy.

It seems fresh produce is out of season. Yet winter is the time for fragrant, juicy, vibrant citrus — at their peak from November until April. Sweet, refreshing and healthy, they bring a touch of sunshine to the North Country’s dark, wintry days.

Citrus fruit are famous for their high content of vitamin C – and the winter months are the season we need more of this strong immune booster to help us ward off colds and flu. Vitamin C also helps us beat winter fatigue by aiding with iron absorption. However, this vitamin dissipates quickly when exposed to air, so eat the fruit as soon as you cut it open, and drink the juice soon after squeezing.

Citrus fruits are also high in potassium and magnesium, two minerals that play a role in regulating blood pressure, as well as vitamin A, fiber, and other antioxidants and cancer-fighting compounds (flavonoids lycopene, limolene, terpene, phenols, and isothiocyanates).

Millions of years old, these subtropical plants are native to Southeast Asia, and were first cultivated in China. The original fruit was small, hard, and bitter, but through centuries of cultivation and selection, we have developed large, heavy, sweet fruit.

There are many varieties of citrus. We are most familiar with sweet, juicy oranges. These traveled from the Far East to the Mediterranean region with the help of Arab traders, and Spanish explorers brought them to the Americas. There are many varieties; Valencia and Hamlin oranges are great for juicing, while navel, temple, California and blood oranges are better eating oranges.

Smaller and less acidic than oranges, tangerines have thin, loose skin making them easier to peel. The Clementine and Halo varieties are sweet and seedless.

A relative newcomer to the citrus family, grapefruit is thought to be a cross between an orange and a pomelo. First cultivated in the West Indies in the 1800ds, most Americans were not familiar with grapefruit until the twentieth century. Tangelos are a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit.

The smallest citrus is the olive-sized kumquat, which can be eaten whole – peel, seeds, and all. The biggest citrus, also relatively unknown, is the Malaysian pomelo, whose pear-shaped fruits can weigh up to 25 pounds. Ugli fruit is another newcomer; discovered growing wild in Jamaica, it is thought to be a cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine.

Lemons and limes are the most tart of the citrus family, so they’re rarely eaten. However, their flavor is great for seasoning tea, salads, vegetables, fish and chicken.

This time of year, many people in the wintry north receive packages of oranges and grapefruit from friends living in subtropical climes. Others buy them at the store, where it’s important to look for firm, brightly colored fruit heavy for their size, with tight, thin skin; avoid fruit that is soft and squishy. Most citrus fruits are best eaten at room temperature, and can be stored so for about a week. Store them in the refrigerator if you plan to keep them longer.

Oranges, grapefruit and tangerine are delicious eaten “as is”. We like making our own juice; it tastes completely different from what you can buy pre-squeezed and packaged at the supermarket. Citrus zest is the colored part of the peel; grated, it is often used to season baked goods and other dishes.

Here are a couple recipes if you want to get more creative.

Citrus gelatin

fruit salad

Ingredients:

2 navel or other eating oranges

2 tangerines

1 grapefruit

2 apples

1/4 cup water

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup orange or grapefruit juice

Directions:

Peel and section the citrus; core and dice the apples. Mix the fruit in a large bowl, then divide among four or five serving bowls.

In saucepan, heat the water; add the gelatin and honey. Remove from heat and stir in the orange juice. Pour this over the fruit in the serving bowls, and chill for about an hour.

Citrus peel treats

Don’t discard all of those citrus peels! Save them and use to make a delicious confection that you can eat as a snack or add to baked goods. Many versions of this recipe abound, both on the Internet and in many popular cookbooks.

Ingredients:

4 cups citrus peels

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup honey

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 3-ounce package unflavored gelatin

Confectioner’s sugar or melted chocolate for dipping

Directions:

Wash fruit peels and cut them into strips about a quarter inch wide. You can store these in the freezer until you’re ready to use them.

When you have about 4 cups of peels, place in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer about 15 minutes. Drain. Repeat this process two or three times; this helps to diminish the bitterness found in the white pith of the peel.

In saucepan, combine water, honey and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil the syrup until it looks clear, then lower the heat to a simmer and gently stir in the prepared peels. Cook about 20 – 30 minutes, until the peels become translucent and absorb most of the syrup. As the syrup cooks out you may need to shake the pot a bit, to prevent burning and scorching. Remove from heat.

Now you have choices:

1. Stir in the gelatin, and cool. Place mixture in canning jars and store in the fridge. This is good for using in baked goods and can be eaten with a spoon as a dessert.

2. Omit the gelatin. Separate the peels and place on a wire rack over waxed paper to drain. Dry for about two hours, until they’re just moist.

When peels are dry, either roll in powdered sugar and spread on racks to dry overnight or for about 8 – 12 hours. Alternately, instead of rolling in sugar coat with melted chocolate. For chocolate covered peels, melt 8 ounces of chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Dip each piece of peel in the chocolate, covering about two thirds or three quarters and holding by the other end. Cool on wax paper to set the chocolate.

Store sugarcoated peels in airtight containers; store chocolate coated peels in the refrigerator. They will keep two months or longer, and are great for snacking.

Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com or on Facebook as

Author Yvona Fast.

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