; Tin Can Canoe: Fruit Cravings...

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Fruit Cravings...

Okay... So we eat a lot of fruit at my house. Hmmm, ya know, that might even be perceived as a vast understatement. We actually consume (what most folks would probably consider as) a ridiculously Huge quantity of fruit. Afterall, it takes up one whole counter in the kitchen and another entire shelf in the fridge. We don't eat much of what is considered junk food and our idea of snacking equals fruit. So in the end, I suppose it's a good thing.
I think the variety of fruit available to you must depend greatly on where you live. Since moving to the Eastern U.S. we've seen things we had never been exposed to before which is cool. And on the frustrating flip side we haven't been able to find some of the other things that we're used to. Below are two fruits we've discovered since we moved to Pennsylvania that (for whatever reason) we'd never encountered when we lived in the Western U.S. Who knows why... all I know is how thankful I am to have found them. So without further delay... here are two fruits we discovered just this year and urge you to seek them out -- where ever you may live. Ordering them online if you must...
They're Both That Good!! Seriously.


Cara Cara Naval Oranges

Cara Cara Oranges... they truly are The Bomb. They have a beautiful pinkish-orange center, are wonderfully sweet, seedless and less acidic than traditional naval oranges. Pure Bliss I'm tellin' ya. Citrus Sinensis 'Cara Cara' was discovered in 1976 as a mutation of a Washington naval orange in Valencia, Venezuela. They're only available for a short amount of time, since their peak season is considered December and January. So rush out now and scout for yours before it's too late!! Trust me... it's worth any extra effort it might take. They're an ultimate favorite at our house... we devour them a case at a time. Mmmm. Mmmm. Ammmmazing!


Honeycrisp Apples
Wow!! These things are just Awesome. In my (not so) humble opinion the Honeycrisp apple is The best apple you can get your hands on. This variety of apple has actually been around since the 1960's, however it's a tough one to propagate and grow with huge success. Thus making it a tough breed to produce in large quantities. It's peak season is September through late October... though sometimes if you're lucky you might find them as late as November - but don't count on it! These apples are simply divine, offering a pleasingly crisp sweet-tart bite. They're by far the most crisp apple I've ever had and are surprisingly juicy. They're also a sub-acid specimen - which is yet another plus in my book. So even though it's too late to get yourself hooked up right now... be on the look out next fall! And remember to buy plenty, keep them cold and thank me later ;) Just be prepared to pay for the pleasure. Since they're not available in abundant volumes the prices will reflect their rarity - you'll most likely pay between $2.50 - $4.00 a pound for these lovelies. But trust me, they're absolutely 100% worth the price.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL...of course Cara Cara Oranges are sweet! Duh!! I'm so sweet, its sickening.. (are you gagging yet..lol) We used to get them at Whole Foods in Colorado Springs.. they are the best oranges evah!! Well, except the blood oranges we got in Italy.. but I can't afford to go back just for oranges..
Never had the Honeycrisp apples, I'll keep my eye out for them.. We LOVE fruit too.. My kids think any new fruit is a real treat!!

amac said...

Cara Caras were on sale today so I had to get them to check it out. Very tasty. I still miss the giant bags of oranges I use to get in CA farmers markets for $2... Ahhh, I miss just about all of the produce in California, but not much else. Well, maybe the ocean.