(Editor’s Note: This article will be the last for the column authored by Debra Morris, who recently retired “after 55 years of nonstop work”! She is looking forward to putting her feet up with a good book, taking a cruise to Alaska, planting flowers in her yard, and volunteering at an animal shelter. Hopefully she will also now have proper time to savor all of the delicious foods she has been writing about for the San Francisco Bay Times. She is a thoughtful professional—and a fabulous cook! Please join us in wishing her all the best as she begins a new chapter.)
The cold winter months are here and with them come delicious California citrus. There are many varieties at your local farmers’ market that you won’t find at the grocery store, and they’re brought to you fresh from the orchards of the farmers who grew them.
You’ll find tangerines and mandarins, sunny yellow lemons, lovely green limes, big grapefruits and even bigger pomelos, and many varieties of oranges such as the blood orange and the Cara Cara orange. New varieties are being developed each year, so you might see something you haven’t seen before.
Citrus was once king in California with vast rolling hills of orange and lemon trees. It was first brought to the state by Franciscan friars to plant at the missions in the late 1700s, then planted and grown in the 19th century as the “Second Gold Rush.” Citrus then spread to the rest of Southern California in the early 20th century with field after field of oranges, grapefruits, and lemons.
The acreage is far less now, with housing becoming a more profitable “crop,” but Ventura and San Joaquin counties still have citrus trees covering rolling hills and flat expanses of land. Smaller farms across the state grow wonderful specialty citrus such as kefir limes, Golden Nugget tangerines, kumquats, pomelos, blood oranges, tangelos, and other up-and-coming varieties. They grow mandarin oranges against the northern foothills, lemons near Santa Paula and Fillmore in Ventura County, and oranges on the flats of Fresno and Merced.
Citrus is the perfect accompaniment for heavy winter meals with its bright fresh flavor, abundant nutrition, and versatility of use. Fresh citrus salads, tangy dressings and marinades, and delicious sauces can lighten any winter meal. Try Candied Orange Slices Dipped in Dark Chocolate for a decadent treat worthy of this festive season.
Candied Orange Slices Dipped in Dark Chocolate
2 blood oranges, sliced crosswise into 1⁄4-inch-thick pieces
5 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa), chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
Maldon salt for garnish
In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved completely, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, add the blood orange slices, and simmer until translucent, about 20–30 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool completely, about 2 hours, in a cool spot.
Place waxed paper over a sheet pan. Using tongs, remove the slices, shaking off any excess syrup. Place on the rack in a single layer. Let the slices dry overnight. Reserve the syrup for another use.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over simmering water in a saucepan. Melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.
Drag half of the candied blood orange slice through the chocolate, then place on the parchment in a single layer to dry. Leave until the chocolate has set, about 1 hour. Garnish with Maldon salt.
Debra Morris, prior to her recent retirement, was a longtime spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association. For more information and recipes: https://www.pcfma.org/
This Month at Castro Street Farmer’s Market
Published on December 5, 2024
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