Fabulously Frugal Dolly

Citrus, the lovely, juicy fruits rich in vitamin C are popular treats in the winter months.  Traditionally, some families put an orange in the toes of a stuffed stocking as these radiant sunshine jewels were special treats.  What could be worse than a dried out, mealy and yuck tasting orange though?  It’s not a problem if you learn the tricks to picking out a good citrus fruit though.

Generally, the peel should be smooth, within reason- the pore-like dimples of the skin should be relatively regular in pattern and depth.  Color, while a good indicator of ripeness, is not the primary clue of a good fruit though, it’s the weight.

Feel the ‘heft’ of several oranges, a heavier orange is more full of juicy tastiness.  A lighter weight orange is one of the nasty, stringy ones that you don’t really even end up eating, thereby wasting money.  Citrus in general should be heavy for it’s size.  Once you’ve found a heavier orange, give it a gentle squeeze, the flesh of the fruit should be firm and resistant to your pressing.  If it mushes a bit, it’s still not a good one, try again.  It’s not difficult to do, but not many people know it.

So please stop looking at me in produce section, I know I’m cute and nice to look at, but I’m not crazy, I’m just selecting the best of what the supermarkets have to offer.