After spending more than two decades in development, a mandarin hybrid that some fruit experts are calling "the best thing they've ever eaten in the world of citrus" is now on the market, albeit in limited quantities.
When Gmitter joined the Florida faculty in 1985, he discovered his predecessor's experimental citrus groves had been destroyed. Only a block's worth of trees remained, and most of those were "ugly to look at and horrible to eat." But among the duds, he found a tree growing superb orange fruit. He and his colleagues used that tree to create the university's first-ever cultivar.
Since citrus breeding is slow going, the introduction of new varieties is relatively rare. But Peter Chaires, executive director of the company that holds licensing rights to the Sugar Belle, says the fruit could mark the start of a citrus golden age.
"This is the first one out of a long pipeline," Chaires says. "We have some interesting things coming, including an easy-peel mandarin. We'll see varieties for fresh consumption, varieties for the juice market and a lemon-lime hybrid."
L-R Microplane flat zester, Cuisinart zester, Microplane curved zester. Photo: The Skinny Chef
I'm a zesting queen and I've tried every gadget on the market. But kitchen space is tight in my small apartment so I've donated extras to friends and kids I'm teaching to cook and have narrowed it down to three essentials.
I use Microplanes the most and maintain that the flat zester, one of the cheapest, is an absolute must for any kitchen. Both that and the rounded model work equally well for grating whole spices like nutmeg and cinnamon sticks or for making fluffy mounds of shredded Parmesan cheese as soft as eyelashes.
Get more of Jennifer's zesting secrets after the jump.
Is a dish lacking something you can't pinpoint? Try a tiny bit of salt if you must, but don't forget the secret weapon tucked in the fridge or lolling on the counter.
You may not be able to produce a glass of orange juice with an orange and a fork, but you'll easily be able to extract enough juice for various recipes.
About a month ago, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Ojai, CA to check out the Southern California lemon groves. The trip was sponsored by Sunkist, and so I got a true insider's glimpse of how citrus goes from those beautiful California groves to the shelf in my local market. I also got a chance to pick a lemon (quite a thrill for the girl who hasn't lived in LA since she was eight), see the Pacific Ocean and get a break from the frigid January weather.
I also learned a whole lot about Sunkist. Did you know that Sunkist is actually a cooperative organization, founded 115 years ago by a collection of growers, in order to better market their produce to a broader audience? There are current members of the co-op who are the fifth or sixth generation of their family to be involved with Sunkist. Knowing that certainly helped put a human feel on what had, in my mind, been a faceless corporate entity.
The trip also broadened my thinking towards using lemons in cooking. I tasted the most delicious fried lemon slices, that were amazing with fresh goat cheese (also made with the help of lemon juice) and am currently infusing a bottle of oil with lemons for some special salad dressings come spring. All the lemon tricks and recipes came from celebrity chef Jill Davie, who is Sunkist's official Lemon Lady and was a real treat to get to know.
For more facts about Sunkist lemons and some of Jill's recipes, check after the jump.
Your meal is almost finished, and you're wondering what last minute ingredients you can add to give it that extra special flavor. Citrus juice, particularly from lemons and limes, goes a long way in many dishes.
This particular edible gift suggestion is designed especially for those among you who love food but hate to cook. Buy a unique or charming bowl or basket (if you're gift-giving on the cheap, I suggest hitting thrift stores for your vessel) and then filling it with mandarin oranges. Don't buy a pre-packed bag or box when prepping for these gifts, as often you'll find some rotten fruit in with the good ones. Instead, spend a few minutes sorting through the display at your grocery store, hand selecting the best fruit. For a more visually interesting offering, get several different kinds of citrus. Tie an old-fashioned cloth ribbon (or a handmade cloth napkin, if you want to get fancy) around the bowl for added holiday cheer.
For more of our edible gift suggestions, click on the image below.
As we approach December, I start to crave the diversity of fruits available during the rest of the year. I get tired of seeing apples and pears. So, what I look forward to is the citrus season when you can find vibrant gorgeous oranges full of vitamin C. From December to early spring, markets are full of seasonal citrus fruits to fulfill your fruit needs and your sweet tooth.
While oranges taste perfect on their own, they can add a unique sweet and citrus tang to some of your most simple dishes. And, the citrus fruits that one may not necessarily want to eat plain, such as lemons and limes, create tasty salads and enhance flavors in poultry and fish.
So do you believe we're in a recession? Retailers sure seem to, especially specialty retailers. In the kitchenware store, the season's usual large bundles of roasting pans and pie plates, while still available, are being supplemented by smaller displays of beckoning trinkets for inexpensive shopping fixes. If one is a classic movie fan, one remembers Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffanys -- wherein, broke but shopping, they consider a platinum dream from a CrackerJack box as well as a silver telephone dialer. More practical (and, at around thirteen bucks, more economical) is the Microplane Multi-Citrus Tool, and I have to admit that I have succumbed.
As most slashfoodies know, zest is the outer skin of a citrus fruit, used as a flavoring agent in everything from sauces to baked goods, as well as a garnish. The zest contains a high concentration of the oil of the citrus fruit, which contributes a highly concentrated burst of both flavor and aroma. As experienced eaters know, there is no substitute for fresh zest -- a lemon pound cake, for example, will simply taste better if you add fresh zest. As experienced zesters know, the challenge while zesting is to get just that outer layer of skin without getting any of the white pith that separates the flesh of the fruit from the skin.
There are some kitchen tasks we all dread -- cutting onions, pulling out the insides of a chicken, and for many of us, squeezing lemons and limes. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your lemons, and for getting most of your lemon juice into your bowl, not on your fingers.
On the Today show, Epicurious.com Editor Tanya Steel shows Hota Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford how to make a simple key lime pie.
Even if you can make a key lime pie in your sleep, it's a fun video (even though they say to use pre-squeezed key lime juice if you can't find limes - eek! That's like using lemon juice instead of real lemons in lemon squares!) The taste just can't compare.
Well, the video is fine until good ol' Kathie Lee ruins the moment by first commenting on the amount of calories in the condensed can of milk (Steel smartly replies "Yeah, but who's counting calories?") and then likens the ingredient to colostrum (and Kotb remarks, "Buzzkill.")
Cook much, Kathie Lee? Yeesh - don't invite her over when you're making key lime pie. She'll totally ruin your appetite.
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