Citrus Countdown-#1 of Best Citrus Choices
Welcome back to the great citrus countdown. We have finally arrived at my premier selection for citrus for southern California. In honor of the occasion I went out and harvested a fruit from my own tree to enhance the unveiling. The fragrance of this beautiful, orange skinned flavor bomb fills my kitchen. The heavenly scent of this orange has stirred my hunger; time to make breakfast. Be back in a bit...
Wow, that was delicious. I love good food; folks that are real connoisseurs of food and wine used to be called gourmets or gourmands, now they are called "foodies". When did that happen? Maybe it is the double "oo", but it just doesn't sound appetizing to me...like goonie, boogie, rookie, or hoodie; it just doesn't breathe the same suave sophistication as gourmand. I'll take French every time. I loved it in the "Addams Family" when Gomez Addams would be enraptured by his wife speaking French to him..."Oh Tish, you spoke French" as he kissed up her hands to her arms. Down boy. The French have long been proponents of deliciousness.
The renaissance of food and farming has been a boon to both endeavors; great ingredients make great dishes. There is nothing so tasty as fruit or vegetables grown to perfection, allowed to reach the apex of ripeness on the tree or plant, and then handled deftly to serve them at their best. New varieties that raise the bar, and not just add novelty have made farming and gardening all the more satisfying. Let's face it, when it comes to growing your own food, it is all about flavor! My first place selection delivers flavor by the truckload.
My number one choice for citrus in your garden is another newcomer. My number one choice is:
Cara Cara pink navel orange:
The first navel oranges were the result of a naturally occurring mutation in a grove of oranges grown in a monastery in Bahia, Brazil in 1820. Mutations are interesting things; mutation even carries an ominous tone..."he has become a mutant". It sounds like a plot for a science fiction movie. However, many mutations are entirely positive; the resulting mutation creating something better than its previous form. Such is the case with the navel orange. The most significant result of this mutation was the creating of a minuscule conjoined "twin" at the base of the fruit which forms the "navel". This new orange was seedless, sweet, delicious, easy to peel, and productive; all attributes that put it in the win column.
Budwood of this new variety called the Bahia navel began to be exported around the world. In 1873, budwood from the Bahia navel arrived at the Riverside farm of Luther and Eliza Tibbets. They were the progressive hippies of their times. They lived in a community of free thinkers in Riverside. Bahia navels had performed poorly when grown in Florida, but in the California sunshine they thrived, in fact had grown marvelously. By 1875, the first fruits were harvested; they were judged to be exceptionally tasty. By 1879, they were displayed at an exposition, and were immediately all the rage. Navels were an instant hit, and their commercially desirable characteristics were clearly evident. The thick skin which protected the fruit from the hot and arid inland valleys of Riverside, also protected the fruit in shipping. Immediately, huge swaths of land in the inland empire of California were put into navel orange production. The original navel orange tree which was renamed "Washington" navel by the Tibbet's, still lives in Riverside with an appropriate bronze plaque and historical monument (California historical landmark number 20)...in of all things, a traffic median. Yes, this historically significant tree survives (barely) at the intersection of Magnolia and Arlington Avenues in Riverside. It saddens me so to see the encroachment of suburbia into this former farmland.
The Washington navel orange became the world's most popular orange, and created a veritable citrus empire in the inland valleys of California. There were soon "orange mansions" dotting the temperate areas of the state. The Washington navel was popular for good reason: sweet, tasty, seedless, easy to peel, and productive. It was very commercially successful because it handled shipping well. If you own a Washington navel, as I do, I am certain you enjoy its bounty. Why grow anything else? I thought so too, until I was given a Cara Cara navel as a gift from my friend Matthew Fite. Matthew wanted to give me a blood orange, and the nursery from whence he purchased this tree mistakenly sold him a Cara Cara pink navel. What a fortuitous error!
Cara Cara is a new variety in California. It is another magnificent mutation! This tree was discovered on the Cara Cara (hence the name) plantation in Venezuela in 1975. It is a natural sport of a Bahia navel. It has been in California since 1985.
Why plant a Cara Cara?
1) It is a very vigorous tree. I have not seen genetic testing on this tree, but my gut tells me it is a polyploid. It is extremely easy to grow; in my opinion, easier than Washington navel.
2) It is a very good producer. I reluctantly admit, it does not seem to be as productive as Washington, but nevertheless, produces very well.
3) The flesh is a beautiful soft pink. It is a very attractive piece of fruit, a gorgeous contrast between the orange peel, and the ruby interior is striking. Who wouldn't want to snack on that?
4) It is seedless.
5) It is simply the best tasting citrus I have ever eaten.
This fruit is utterly scrumptious! All navels are sweet and juicy, and have terrific orange flavor, but Cara Cara brings hints and shadings of flavor to its Venezuelan citrus fiesta you never thought you would taste in an orange. Do a side by side taste test, and there is no contest. Cara Cara wins, hands down. It is complexly flavored. There are hints of strawberry, cranberry, raspberry, passion fruit, wine, mmmmm, this is one tasty fruit.
6) In addition to all the other benefits, this orange also has lycopene. Added to all the other benefits of Cara Cara is this wonderful nutrient which manifests itself by the redness of the flesh, the same anti-oxidant that makes tomatoes so good for us. It is said to inhibit cancer growth, gives a reduced risk of heart disease, and a reduced risk of age related eye issues and alzheimers.
If I could have but one citrus in my garden, it would be this one. It is readily available these days in virtually all nurseries and garden centers.
Wow, that was delicious. I love good food; folks that are real connoisseurs of food and wine used to be called gourmets or gourmands, now they are called "foodies". When did that happen? Maybe it is the double "oo", but it just doesn't sound appetizing to me...like goonie, boogie, rookie, or hoodie; it just doesn't breathe the same suave sophistication as gourmand. I'll take French every time. I loved it in the "Addams Family" when Gomez Addams would be enraptured by his wife speaking French to him..."Oh Tish, you spoke French" as he kissed up her hands to her arms. Down boy. The French have long been proponents of deliciousness.
The renaissance of food and farming has been a boon to both endeavors; great ingredients make great dishes. There is nothing so tasty as fruit or vegetables grown to perfection, allowed to reach the apex of ripeness on the tree or plant, and then handled deftly to serve them at their best. New varieties that raise the bar, and not just add novelty have made farming and gardening all the more satisfying. Let's face it, when it comes to growing your own food, it is all about flavor! My first place selection delivers flavor by the truckload.
My number one choice for citrus in your garden is another newcomer. My number one choice is:
Cara Cara pink navel orange:
Budwood of this new variety called the Bahia navel began to be exported around the world. In 1873, budwood from the Bahia navel arrived at the Riverside farm of Luther and Eliza Tibbets. They were the progressive hippies of their times. They lived in a community of free thinkers in Riverside. Bahia navels had performed poorly when grown in Florida, but in the California sunshine they thrived, in fact had grown marvelously. By 1875, the first fruits were harvested; they were judged to be exceptionally tasty. By 1879, they were displayed at an exposition, and were immediately all the rage. Navels were an instant hit, and their commercially desirable characteristics were clearly evident. The thick skin which protected the fruit from the hot and arid inland valleys of Riverside, also protected the fruit in shipping. Immediately, huge swaths of land in the inland empire of California were put into navel orange production. The original navel orange tree which was renamed "Washington" navel by the Tibbet's, still lives in Riverside with an appropriate bronze plaque and historical monument (California historical landmark number 20)...in of all things, a traffic median. Yes, this historically significant tree survives (barely) at the intersection of Magnolia and Arlington Avenues in Riverside. It saddens me so to see the encroachment of suburbia into this former farmland.
Cara Cara is a new variety in California. It is another magnificent mutation! This tree was discovered on the Cara Cara (hence the name) plantation in Venezuela in 1975. It is a natural sport of a Bahia navel. It has been in California since 1985.
Why plant a Cara Cara?
1) It is a very vigorous tree. I have not seen genetic testing on this tree, but my gut tells me it is a polyploid. It is extremely easy to grow; in my opinion, easier than Washington navel.
2) It is a very good producer. I reluctantly admit, it does not seem to be as productive as Washington, but nevertheless, produces very well.
4) It is seedless.
5) It is simply the best tasting citrus I have ever eaten.
This fruit is utterly scrumptious! All navels are sweet and juicy, and have terrific orange flavor, but Cara Cara brings hints and shadings of flavor to its Venezuelan citrus fiesta you never thought you would taste in an orange. Do a side by side taste test, and there is no contest. Cara Cara wins, hands down. It is complexly flavored. There are hints of strawberry, cranberry, raspberry, passion fruit, wine, mmmmm, this is one tasty fruit.
6) In addition to all the other benefits, this orange also has lycopene. Added to all the other benefits of Cara Cara is this wonderful nutrient which manifests itself by the redness of the flesh, the same anti-oxidant that makes tomatoes so good for us. It is said to inhibit cancer growth, gives a reduced risk of heart disease, and a reduced risk of age related eye issues and alzheimers.
If I could have but one citrus in my garden, it would be this one. It is readily available these days in virtually all nurseries and garden centers.
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