A reprieve from the brutal Chicago winter temperatures resulted in a sunny trip to California for more mild weather and a plethora of citrus goodness. One of the few perks of winter is the explosion of tasty citrus that becomes available in the beginning of each year. Bright oranges, lemons and limes shine through the winter gloom and give a tasty way to fight off any potential sniffles and sneezes.
I visited one of my favorite markets in San Francisco, Bi-Rite Market, and was greeted by the most amazing assortment of citrus I have ever seen.
I visited one of my favorite markets in San Francisco, Bi-Rite Market, and was greeted by the most amazing assortment of citrus I have ever seen.
From the size of my pinky finger to my noggin, I found mouth-puckering tangy oranges, surprisingly sweet lemons, and limes that looked just like caviar. It was such a fun experience tasting them all, and I ended up buying almost every kind of citrus in the store to enjoy throughout my trip.
Some of the citrus fruits were sweet enough to enjoy on their own, while some of the tangy ones made great additions to dishes as marinades and sauces. Out of the fifteen types of citrus (!!) I had, a few of the unique and notable ones were...
Finger Lime (aka Lime Caviar)
These tiny, pinky-sized limes are packed with flavor. Cut off one end of the lime, and gently squeeze out the little orbs of tanginess. I brought a couple with me to Hog Island to garnish fresh oysters, and they were delish!
Sweet Lime
If the conventional lime and lemon had a baby, it would be this fruit. It's super juicy with hints of savory and sweet. I can just picture this lime being used for key lime pie!
Lemonade Lemon
This lemon really does live up to its namesake. Can you believe that this lemon is so sweet that it's like a self-contained glass of lemonade? I ended up cutting these lemons into slices and eating them on their own, but I can imagine them making the best Arnold Palmer drink.
Pummelo
Welcome to the grandpa of grapefruit. The pummelo originated in Asia as one of the original four citrus fruits from which many modern fruits are bred as hybrids. These biggies have thick peels and mildly sweet flesh, which different from many grapefruits that can have a tinge of bitterness. I like to eat them without any of the membrane (inner white peel) to maximize their sweetness.
Seville Orange
This is the mouth-puckering, punch-you-in-the-face-orange. With its super tangy qualities, it serves as a great marinade for chicken or you can use it with other citrus to make seafood ceviche.
Blood Orange
The stunning color of these oranges is only made better with its mild sweetness. If you have enough self restraint to keep yourself from eating the oranges on their own, use these to make a truly unique orange marmalade.
Mango Orange
Tropical in so many ways this orange is! Make a vinaigrette salad dressing out these oranges to appreciate their delicate flavor and sweetness.