Cold Prevention

Cold Prevention, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

It's that time of year when germs seem to be floating everywhere. I'm doing what I can to bolster my immunity. These oranges (blood orange and a variation of clementines ) should boost my vitamin C intake. A bit of sweet and sour bring sunshine to my life.

Citrus

Citrus, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

It's working! Sunshine to chase the cold away. I love to cut into citrus fruit. The burst of aroma fills the room.

I could never manage the 100 mile diet. There are just too many things I like to eat that come from far. Life without oranges? coffee? chocolate? spices? tea? While I try to buy local when I can, I am not ready to give up these delights.

The Taste of Sunshine

The Taste of Sunshine, originally uploaded by susanvg.

In winter, it is important to have strategies to get through the grey days. Participating in winter sports definitely makes winter enjoyable. Eating sunshiny fruit is another strategy. The colour and flavour bring a burst of warmer climates.
I love the look and taste of blood oranges. The first time I saw one was in Italy and I thought the orange was spoiled. That was years ago and I have since learned to enjoy them.

My Darling Clementine

My Darling Clementine, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The aroma starts as I begin to peel these little orbs of flavour. Clementines combat winter in so many ways. Their bright colour and flavour act like sunshine - a mood enhancer bringing a smile. Packed with vitamin C they arm us with virus fighting tools. They disappear quickly in my house and quickly get added to the shopping list again.

Mar 5/10: Blood Orange

Mar 5/10: Blood Orange, originally uploaded by susanvg.

There was a time when we would only get a few varieties of oranges. Before my trip to Italy many years ago I had never seen a blood orange. We went to the market in Rome and bought fresh fruit to feast on: fistfuls of cherries, tied in a bouquet, juicy apricots and some oranges. When we cut into the orange we were shocked to see red splotches - not all red like this orange (I'm sure it has been hybridized to look like this). Our first thought was that the orange was diseased. We tasted hesitantly; it was tangier than the naval oranges we were used to, but it was juicy and fresh-tasting. Since that time I have sought out blood oranges. I find these to be not as good as the ones I tasted in Italy. While they are red inside, the flavour is more like the naval oranges. And the marbled colour of the Italian oranges was much more interesting and surprising.

Day 318: Imported Sunshine

Day 318: Imported Sunshine, originally uploaded by susanvg.

As the days get shorter, duller and darker I look to the grocery store for a dose of sunshine. While it would be wonderful to eat local, some things just have to be imported. These clementine oranges from Morocco have always felt like a burst of sunshine to me. Their sunny colour, lively flavour and sweet liquid taste bring a feeling of warmth. Apples speak of crisp fall days but oranges bring that semi-tropical glow.