Kitchen Log, Experimental.

[bzarcher]

Since we had to hit the grocery store anyhow for the chili cookoff, Alex and I decided to get some various oranges to try out the juicer attachment for Sir Mix-A-Lot.

Conclusions:

1: Damn, it takes a lot of oranges to make a little glass of juice.

2: I really like the cara cara oranges. Really sweet juice!

3: Regular navel oranges have a much tarter juice. Almost sour.

4: Cleanup was really simple.

Really fun! We'll need to buy more oranges.

I also bought and seasoned a cast iron Dutch oven to make the aforementioned chili. It's been a big kitchen day despite me not really cooking!

Comments

[parasaurolophus.livejournal.com]

My orange experiences:
Florida oranges give sweet juice, while California oranges are sharper. I think it depends more on this than on the type of orange. It's the difference in the soil (Florida soil is more acidic).

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Hm. I'll be honest, I don't think the produce stand had the state of origin marked where I could see it, but I will keep an eye out for that!

[dasubergeek.livejournal.com]

My orange experiences: local oranges are picked riper and give sweeter juice. There are no local oranges in Ohio. I've had Florida oranges that were more sour than the lemons on the tree in my backyard, and Florida oranges (in Florida) that tasted like liquid sweet gold, so...

Cara Cara "oranges" are a hybrid fruit between a regular navel orange and a blood orange.

Which reminds me that I need to buy a V-slicer and make blood orange marmalade, because the last of the blood oranges are in for the year.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Yeah, any kind of fruit outside of apples and berries is pretty much a crap shoot up here, but if I can find something consistent, I'll go with it.

Blood Oranges are pretty seasonal, then? They had a few at the Geagle but they didn't really look so hot, at least on the outside.

[silentsteel.livejournal.com]

SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Dutch Oven! <3

I live in california, and my general rule of thumb is - california-grown for eating, Florida oranges for juice. *shrug* Just how the tasty works.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Yeeeeees. Alex was like "We've got a stock pot" and I was like "Trust me."

It was -seriously- a pain in the ass to find an 8 qt. one without people shoving the $200 enameled ones at you, too. I know they're really nice and a lot easier to maintain, but the cast iron is A) Not that hard to care for if you do it right and B) $50 instead of $200....