What would make you go outside right now and pick fruit from your citrus trees? Check all that apply.
A. Knowing that eating an orange a day can keep some cancers away.
B. Believing that grapefruit can help you lose weight and possibly lower your insulin resistance.
C. You love the yummy fruit, and the recent cold snap made it sweeter.
D. None of the above. I like to leave my fruit on the tree until critters eat it or it withers into unsightly brown rocks.
Take a drive around your neighborhood and you'll see that plenty of people, for various reasons, are checking D, even though they know that citrus is good for them. Vitamin C and all that stuff.
Every winter in the Sunshine State, thousands of pounds of backyard citrus go uneaten. It's not uncommon to see new fruit crowding out last year's crop on the same tree.
"I don't know why people let that happen," says Mary Harrison, whose 40-year career as a University of Florida professor began in home economics. Now, she teaches classes in the family, youth and community sciences department and is the go-to person for citrus questions at UF's Cooperative Extension. "Citrus will last literally months in the refrigerator," Harrison says. "As time goes on, it doesn't look as pretty, but it still tastes good."
And in cooking, it doesn't matter if the fruit is picture perfect.
To encourage Floridians to use homegrown citrus, the university has just published the third edition of its 1940 Florida Citrus Treasures Cookbook: A Collection of Heritage Recipes. The book is dedicated to Harrison.
While some of the recipes seem every bit of their 60-plus years (Tangerine Sweet Pickles requires punching holes in the fruit with "fine knitting needles" before brining and then canning), many more are reminders that citrus is easy to use and can add freshness and depth to home-cooked food.
Lemon is ubiquitous as a garnish for fish, but a squeeze of orange or grapefruit goes well over most seafood. Pump up flavor of vinaigrettes and marinades with citrus juice. (The acid in citrus helps tenderize meat.) Use the aromatic zest to flavor baked goods.
But will these little drops here and there use up the bounty on the tree outside your kitchen window? Probably not. Up north it's zucchini that grows like weeds; in Florida, it's citrus.
Harrison suggests shipping some of your bumper crop to family and friends in colder climates.
"It's one of the nicest things you can do," she says. "It's really fresh, and we do have good fruit here."
Nan Jensen of the Pinellas County Cooperative Extension says that backyard citrus can be sent to all states with the exception of California, Arizona, Hawaii and Texas. Pack it in newspaper and send it on its way.
"It's not your mother's crystal or china," she says. "Just make sure to ship fruit that isn't bruised, blemished or damaged in some way. If the fruit is starting to rot, don't send it." (For more tips on shipping backyard citrus, see accompanying story.)
There are plenty of reasons people don't pick their fruit. They've bought houses with big trees and don't really like the fruit. Perhaps theirs isn't the common Hamlin orange variety but the pucker-up sour orange or even another fruit altogether like kumquat and they don't know what to do with them. (Your county's Cooperative Extension can help identify tree varieties; see accompanying story for phone numbers.) Maybe there are physical obstacles, such as infirmity or age. Then there's the most common excuse: the ladder isn't long enough (nor is the day).
Whatever the reason, there's flavor and nutrition going to waste.
Organizations that feed the hungry might provide the people power to glean; a phone call will confirm that. Other groups that might be willing to help the elderly or the physically impaired are churches or youth groups such as the Boy or Girl Scouts.
It's not uncommon to see wagons full of oranges and grapefruits free for the taking on the edge of someone's lawn at this time of year. If you don't have your own tree, take advantage of the generous offer.
Once you get a bowl of fruit, consider using them in:
-- Drinks. Juicing is the simplest way - other than peeling and eating - to use citrus. Fresh-squeezed juice, especially ruby red grapefruit, is a lovely wake-up drink for holiday visitors (and also locals). Make citrus sodas by mixing 2/3 cup chilled orange, tangerine or blended orange and grapefruit juice with 1/3 cup chilled ginger ale in a tall glass. Add a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Blend 3/4 cup grapefruit juice and 1/4 cup honey. Chill overnight.
Freeze key lime, milder Persian lime or lemon juice in ice cube trays. Add a cube or two to sodas or other drinks. Oh yeah, a gin and tonic with a key lime cube tinkling among the other.
-- Sauces and dressings. Brighten bottled marinades or salad dressings with a squeeze of citrus. Go key lime it you want tart; tangerine for subtle.
To make a sauce for cake, pudding, ice cream or fruit salad, mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice. For a simple salad dressing to serve with avocado or grapefruit, blend 1/2 cup lime juice and 1/2 cup mild honey.
For a marinade for 1 pound of pork, mix 1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh lime juice with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoon orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Marinate meat for four to six hours.
Make a dip for shrimp or crab by mixing 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/2 clove chopped garlic.
-- Entrees. To flavor whole chicken, salt and pepper the cavity and stuff with washed and halved lemons or oranges before roasting. Use sliced citrus as a bed for baking fish or soak mild fish in grapefruit juice for 30 minutes before cooking. (See recipes for Scallops with Pink Grapefruit and Seared Salmon with Orange Glaze.)
-- Desserts. There are many desserts featuring citrus, one of the most famous being the legendary key lime pie. But there are many more including lemon squares and cheesecakes, plus orange cakes and citrus cookies. (See recipes for Key Lime Cookies and Orange Bread Pudding.)
During the holidays, citrus can take center stage in decorations. Make a fragrant pomander by studding an orange with whole cloves or nestle tangerines among greenery for a festive centerpiece.
"The nice thing about citrus is that if you have it in the back yard you don't have to spend money on it," Harrison says. "Save your money for something else."
-- Florida Citrus Treasures Cookbook: A Collection of Heritage Recipes is $15 plus shipping and can be purchased by calling toll-free 1-800-226-1764 or online at www.ifasbooks.com
Shipping homegrown citrus
Tips from the University of Florida Cooperative Extension on shipping backyard citrus:
-- Select a heavy cardboard box. Crumple newspaper in the bottom to cushion.
-- Do NOT wash fruit or wrap in plastic. It will make it prone to rotting.
-- Take off any stems that might injure other fruit. Don't send fruit with tears in the peel, the first line of defense against spoilage.
-- Pack fruit snugly to minimize shifting.
-- Ship early in the week. End of week shipments may end up in a warehouse over the weekend.
-- Citrus cannot be shipped to Texas, Hawaii, Arizona or California.
For more information or to talk to a registered dietitian about other uses for citrus or to identify what you have, call your county's Cooperative Extension. Pinellas, (727) 582-2100; Hillsborough, (813) 744-5519; Pasco, (352) 521-4288 or (727) 847-8177; Hernando, (352) 754-4433; Citrus, (352) 726-2141.
