It all began on our trip to Florida last week.
We stayed with friends who taught us how to bird watch, and how to squeeze fresh orange juice with their machine. Their deliciously sweet reddish oranges were said to have low acidity.
When we got home my wife and I ordered an orange juicer from Amazon, and we ran to Costco to pick up a bag of Sunkist Cara Caras. The Cara Cara orange (Citrus sinensis) is available from December through April. They are commonly referred to as “the pink navel” or red‑fleshed navel orange.
The first Cara Cara orange was found growing, either as a mutation or as a cross between the Washington navel and the Brazilian Bahia navel. It was discovered on a Washington navel orange tree in 1976 at Hacienda Cara Cara in Venezuela. It was introduced to Florida and then to California.
The deep pink flesh of the seedless Cara Cara orange is from the presence of lycopene, the disease-fighting antioxidant. Cara Caras are an excellent source of vitamins C and A, and a good source of fiber, folate, and potassium. Cara Cara oranges will keep up to two weeks, refrigerated. Since Cara Cara juice can be frozen in an airtight container for up to six months, we will gather a supply to feast on from May to October.
I can't wait to make Cara Cara sorbet, Cara Cara marmalade, and Cara Cara Coconut ice cream.
As I relish my Cara Cara dishes, I expect to have visions of beautiful Florida birds flying around me. I expect those visions will help to keep visions of marauding alligators at bay.
Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen@hotmail.com
