One reason I love Spring is Blood Orange season. If you have never tried one of these scrumptious oranges, drop everything and go to the store. Okay, well maybe you don't have to literally drop everything at this moment, but next time you are at the grocery store or a farmer's market make sure you at least try a slice.
The three most common types of blood oranges are: the Tarocco (native to Italy), the Sanguinello (native to Spain), and the Moro, the newest variety of the three. The other less common types include Khanpur, Washington Sanguine, Ruby Blood, Sanguina Doble Fina, Delfino, Red Valencia, Burris blood Valencia orange, Vaccaro blood orange, Sanguine grosse ronde, Entre Fina blood orange and Sanguinello a pignu.
The redish color is due to the presence of a pigment more commonly found in flowers and fruits and not citrus fruits called anthocyanin, which is also a powerful antioxidant. Depending on the type of blood orange you get the color can be anywhere from a dark pinkish to a deep red. The one I ate here looks more like a pink grapefruit but much smaller.
Blood oranges are one of my favorite fruits because it's a tad bit sweeter with a tad less of the tart of your regular Navel. For your next brunch, squeeze some of these Blood Oranges fresh for a new drink idea. Save some of the juice and use it in a Mojito, Margarita, or Cosmo cocktail.
I would love to make a sorbet out these Blood Oranges as well as a marmalade.Yum!
