Savor the Season

Citrus are invading the farmers market. Other than shiny, sweet winter apples, citrus fruits rule the market right now. The farmers invite you to taste a slice of tangy/bitter grapefruit to sweet orange or whatever they carry for the season. Strolling around the cold winter morning and taste little bit of that fruit and this... Hah, we cannot get that experience in grocery store where all are neatly packed and arrange to be picked! If you have a kid , probably a fun way to teach him/her what is available through the season! But mine is pretty interested to get his kettle sweet popcorn every time he visits! Oh yeah, he eats popcorn for breakfast!
I couldn't go unnoticeable when I saw the bleeding orange slices. The orange flesh has a deep garnet color and taste a sweet orange flavor with raspberry after taste! Just imagine a hybrid fruit with the taste of orange and raspberry! Blood orange is originated from Sicily but now grown in US, Moro is grown in CA! 



There are three varieties:

Moro: Newly found variety, distinguished as deep garnet/ blood flesh, the outer exterior slightly red, the rind is thick not easy to peel and seedless.
Sanguinello: Discovered in Spain, contains few seeds and the interior flesh is mix of orange and red strikes and have a blushed red exterior too!
Tarocco: Most popular table fruit in Italy and considered the most flavorful.

I ve tasted the first two varieties: both are less acidic and extremely juicy! I bought sanguinello in Trader joe. A pound/lb cost around 2 dollars.



Citrus salad with blood orange vinaigrette



Print
Blood orange: 2 - only segments
Navel orange: 1 only segments
Green mix: 2 cups
Sunflower seeds: few

How to segment?
Cut the top and bottom of the orange. Go around the orange and remove the skin with pith, follow the curve of the fruit. Once you have removed the skin.
Take a bowl and holding firmly, with a pairing knife, go in between the membrane of the fruit to remove the segment.

Arrange the greens and fruits , sprinkle the seeds and drizzle the vinaigrette.



Blood orange vinaigrette:

Blood orange: Juice of one orange
Olive oil: 1 tsp
Salt: a dash
Pepper: freshly ground

Whisk the orange juice, oil, salt and pepper together and drizzle over the salad.



A seductive non-alcoholic Drink: Blood orange spritzer


Blood orange juice: from 3 oranges
Chilled soda/lime soda-7-up/sparkling fruit juice: I used lime soda
Fresh mint: few

Muddle the mint using mortar and pestle to release the oil.
Mix 1/3 blood orange juice with 2 /3 of lime soda.
If using soda need to use simple syrup and zest lemon juice!


Alcoholic version:
Substitute soda with Champagne or sparkling wine!


The drink is very seductive and perfect for Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!


*The salad goes to Sudeshna Who host: Salad Carnival
* Sending to Show me your salad by Divya

Comments

FH said…
Beautiful, aren't they? my husband loves to eat it for breakfast along with Grapefruit. Spritzer looks so good, great for V day, heart healthy than baking a cake. Good one.
Unknown said…
A beautiful salad! & even lovely drink..Its a sure hit and perfect for the occasion..thanks for sharing.
Unknown said…
Citrus salad looks very vibrant and refreshing.. feels like summer.
Love the beautiful color of the spritz..
Beautiful colors cham. Easy and healthy salad.
Trendsetters said…
wow the oranges are a delight to see..
wow - beautiful drink and salad! lovely color and beautiful click!
Priya Suresh said…
Wow such a colourful salad, prefect for this winter season...vibrant drink, looks fantastic..
Anonymous said…
Happy Valentine Day to you too Cham! The spritzer looks awesome :) And the salad looks refreshing!
Rachana said…
A very very beautiful Salad!!!! looks healthy and yumm and the drink looks equally good:) Lovely clicks as well!
Cilantro said…
Love the color of the drink. Great way to have the orange.
Gita Jaishankar said…
Perfect color for the season Cham...I too feel that these oranges are less acidic and much sweeter than regular oranges. Nice refreshing salad!
Latha said…
Feel like drinking that spritzer right now. Salad looks simple and very pretty. Amazing colors.
Lakshmi said…
Spritzer looks great! loved the color specially. Salad is all healthy so totally a healthy post with colorful and juicy tangy ingredients
Nandinis food said…
Ooh! Hybrid oranges! I heard of an orange with mango taste but unheard of raspberry taste. Cool hybrids! The salad and spritzer are both new twisties! Please reserve one cup and a plate as an order!
Divya Kudua said…
I am on a diet now and both the salad and the drink seems perfect for me to try..:)

The Oranges are looking so good and you have captured the beauty so very well!!
Sonia said…
Cham, your pics are so strong and loud! Very beautiful indeed! I love anything with orange. Gosh! this Blood orange spritzer is to die for! Such a nice post. :)
Vrinda said…
Nice flavorful salad...nice clicks
Usha said…
Lovely colorful salad ! I just tried blood oranges this season and love their taste too...
Deepthi Shankar said…
love the colorful salad there
PJ said…
I so agree with you about the farmer's market experience.. there ain't anything better! I am having a lot of fun tasting citrus here too.. love your salad and the drink.. nice clicks too!
Unknown said…
Such a bright color!
jayasree said…
Colorful, flavorful salad. Lovely drink. Gorgeous clicks.
Anu said…
Wow beautiful drink and salad.. Lovely color.. Happy Valentines day ...
Very colorful salad n juice..loved that blood orange color
Finla said…
Love that colourfull and refreshing salade. I lov ehte non alch drink; well not for me :-) but I am gonna make it for one of my aunts, she don't touch any drink so next time when she is here for a party i will make this for my daughter and her.
Unknown said…
wow..love that colour..the spritzer is amazing and the salad looks beautiful too..
gtyuk said…
oooohhhooo, ippo puriyudhu!!!

yedhukku namba Cham yellaaam red-lleyey pootirukaangaley paathen.......

valentine's day, ho ho, besh besh, romba romantic :):)

salad looks absolutely fantastic along with that juice!!! we get the orange sanguine here but haven't seen the other two varieties... lovely!!!!

enjoy!!!
notyet100 said…
everythin looks so good,...
ranji said…
WOW!!those pics are beautiful...great sallad...spritzer looks good as well.healthy stuffs.
SE said…
Cham...this is a beautiful salad and the perfect drink for the occassion..i see your blog is also all set for the season with those little hearts !!
Rachel said…
beauty aren't they and you made use of them beautifully
Sujatha said…
gorgeous pics Cham! I usually tend to stay away from grapefruits, but the pics are so refreshing and I'm tempted to try it right now :)
Sum Raj said…
wooo..this is a healthy salad and perfect drink cham...looks tempting..
Srivalli said…
Lovely header Cham..and beautiful drink..:))
No such luck. It is snowing in Dallas..Houston has freezing temp..

Kosamalli was nice, glad I saw it.
Yasmeen said…
I love such intense citrus fruits in salad.The gorgeous drink sounds cooling :D
Namitha said…
They are eye candy...Colorful salad and gorgeous spritz.Blood oranges top my next grocery list :-)
Finla said…
CHam about the raisin buns you want to make, the one i blogged is with chocolate, in my book if you do the raisin bread,Soak the raisin in warm water for 5 minutes drain good and dry them , spreading on a tea towel the whol night.
Do this the night before you make the bread.
Aparently this makes the raisin buns stay fresh longer and that the raisin don't burn when they are baking.
Did you say the climate was good, boo Ca always or mostly has a great weather unlike us here in NorthEast ;) That was a lovely color combo and a healthy salad.... Love the drink the color was just so perfect reminding summer!!!

http://memoryachieved.blogspot.com
The color is mesmerizing Cham....i want to go to the store right away and grab some...I like the spirtzer ;-) btw, your son must be very sweet :) and interesting to know that he can have popcorn for b'fast..
Sunitha said…
Beautiful, beautiful! Looks great and the picture of that drink in the glass is priceless!
Rahin said…
the salad and the spritzer, both look absolutely stunning
Deepa G Joshi said…
wow, what lovely clicks..beautiful presentation..nice and colorful salad and drink..nice summer feeling..

www.foodlyrics.com
Pavani said…
cham..it looking colourful yaar..
Bong Mom said…
Lovely Pictures Cham. Love that Spritzer
Unknown said…
Love the color! Thanks for sending this for the event Cham!
Madhavi said…
COLORFUL,BEAUTIFUL,AND AWESOME.
Parita said…
Love the salad and the drink..sounds so refreshing!
Preeti Kashyap said…
perfect recipes for the weekend indeed! you have a lovely space here.
Hayley said…
colourful and eyecathing salad..:))
Cynthia said…
Oh man, there is some serious love being celebrated here. Hope you have a great day tomorrow.
Yup, Navrathna Korma is our favorite too..I dont tell hubby there are apples in it though :D

www.ruchikacooks.com
Animisha said…
Wow cham,
Great post.
10/10
Very interesting and tempting post.
Nice picturization by the way.
Learnt a lot from your post
Mishu
www.uniqueanimisha.blogspot.com
Rombha santhosha padatheenga. Naan kapi pota light aa irukum, aiyya potta double strong coffee..Athan offer..
Malar Gandhi said…
Just it look my heart away...lovely bold-blood drink:)
Pari Vasisht said…
The Spritzer looks cool and salad is just perfect dear. Thanks for sharing..oh I so wish that I get hold of rasberry flavored orange.
Raks said…
Its long time since I had grape fruit,just love it! And the spritzer has got a great colour indeed!
Laavanya said…
I've been buying a lot of oragnes lately too... haven't tried the blood red ones though. That is one gorgeous looking drink Cham.
CurryLeaf said…
Beautiful pics.Never tried these.I have seen pics of roasted slices in some blogs.Love the salad as well the spritzer.
Anonymous said…
My they are absolutely beautiful!
Padhu Sankar said…
Wow! Salad and the juice looks fantastic.
Miri said…
I have only heard of these , never seen them - look gorgeous!
AnuSriram said…
Fantastic pictures! Salad looks inviting!
Dori said…
Gorgeous fruits, and the salad must taste so fresh and amazing!