Tangelos are deliberate or accidental hybrids of any mandarin orange and the grapefruit or pummelo. The first known crosses were made by Dr. Walter T. Swingle at Eustis, Florida, in 1897, and Dr. Herbert J. Webber at Riverside, California, in 1898. They are so unlike other citrus fruits that they have been set aside in a class by themselves.

Tangelos range from the size of a standard sweet orange to the size of a grapefruit, but are usually somewhat necked at the base. The peel is fairly loose and easily removed. The pulp is often colorful, subacid, of fine flavor and very juicy. The trees are large, more cold-tolerant than the grapefruit but not quite as hardy as the mandarin. Nucellar embryos are not uncommon in these hybrids and most of the cultivars are self-sterile, so a majority come true from seed. Tangelos are not commonly grown in California but are produced commercially and in home gardens in Florida. They are much more satisfactory on limestone in southern Florida than the sweet orange and are prized for their quality.

Antioxidant Protection – Antioxidants combat hazardous free radicals in your body and stop them from hurting your body’s cells.  Antioxidants also diminish the signs of ageing and thwart infection in your body.

Arteries Protection: Another health advantage of oranges is that the vitamin C within this fruit aids to keep your arteries clean and running great.

Cancer Protection - Oranges are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C which all have cancer fighting properties.

Blood Protection – The dietary fiber and vitamin B1 within each orange helps control blood glucose levels.

Heart Disease Protection – The numerous antioxidants in this fruit help to directly reduce your heart disease risk by protecting it from oxygen related damage.

Fruit gift baskets range in price from about $20 for a small sampler to over $300 for deluxe arrangements. There are also a variety of sizes available, making suitable gifts for everyone from your child’s teacher to the whole family.

A fruit gift basket is a thoughtful choice for expressing sympathy, saying thank you, or corporate gift giving. With such a wide range of choices, it’s possible to find something in any price range. For long distance gift giving, online retailers can ship your fruit basket. For something a bit different, try a fruit and flowers gift basket.

Besides being tasty, a fruit gift basket is also among the healthier options for food gift baskets. If you know someone who is careful about eating well, they will appreciate your thoughtful choice in gifts. Fruit is also a great choice for families with children, rather than a basket of sweets or cookies, and can be enjoyed by everyone unlike more adult choices such as caviar or wine.

A fruit gift basket is both decorative and delicious. Recipients will be delighted both with the appearance and the thought behind such a lovely gift. In addition, with people becoming ever more health conscious, a fruit basket is a guilt-free gift that the whole family can enjoy.

Guest Posting by Bob Bassett

Orange Juice is one of America’s healthiest morning beverages and is purchased by nearly 70 percent of American households.  We choose orange juice for its great taste and nutritional benefits.

One 8-ounce class of 100 percent orange juice delivers essential vitamins and nutrients to support good health and counts as almost 25 percent of the USDA- recommended daily fruit and vegetable servings, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

When you were a child and visited your parents’ offices, you wondered why there were always fruit baskets in the reception area.  Of course, you always reached for an orange.  Now that you have a job yourself, you noticed fruit baskets adorn the break rooms, reception area and conference rooms. Why do offices always have and send fruit baskets?

Businesses have different proprietors and employees, all with their own personal tastes and preferences.  It is virtually impossible to please everyone with any single gift other than fruit baskets.  Due to special dietary constraints, certain people do not eat candy, cake, wine or liquor.  Fruit is a healthy treat everyone enjoys, making it an ideal choice for business-to-business gifts.

Decorative fruit baskets are the perfect way to celebrate holidays, birthdays and occasions.  Clients and employees will look forward to receiving decorative fruit baskets for special events.  Your holiday fruit baskets will be proudly displayed in offices, which is also an ongoing advertisement for your business.  As visitors admire and sample from your fruit baskets, they will also find out about your business.  You just can’t beat this type of word-of-mouth advertising!

They will delight all your recipient’s senses of sight, smell, and taste. Nothing makes as dramatic a statement of how much you care then sending a gift basket overflowing with large, unblemished, ripe fruit, complimented with award winning wines, gourmet cheeses, and irresistible chocolate covered dried fruits and nuts.

• 1 14 to 16 lb. turkey, fresh or defrosted
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 large orange, thinly sliced
• Apple and Sausage
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Rinse the turkey with cold water and blot it dry with a paper towel, including the cavity. Place the neck, giblets, carrots, celery and onion in a large roasting pan, and arrange the turkey on top, breast-side up.

2. Lift the skin up over the turkey breast, being careful not to tear it. Gently slide the orange slices under the skin. Loosely pack the stuffing in the neck cavity and inside the body. Fold the wings back and under the body of the turkey. Fold the neck skin under to enclose the stuffing and tie the legs together with butcher’s twine.

3. Combine the butter, marmalade and juice, and liberally brush on the turkey. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the broth into the roasting pan. Roast for 3 3/4 to 4 1/2 hours, basting frequently and tenting the turkey with aluminum foil 2/3 of the way through the cooking process. Test for doneness with a meat thermometer–the temperature in the thickest part of the turkey leg and thigh should be 180 degrees; in the thickest part of the turkey breast, 170 degrees; and in the stuffing, 160 degrees. Remove the stuffing and let the bird sit for 10 minutes before carving. Yields 10 to 12 servings.

Recipe from: Family Fun

It used to be that a peach was a peach and a plum was a plum, and that was it. Now, however, breeders are coming up with complex hybrids between species, such as fruits that are a combination of peaches, apricots and plums, and cherries or nectarines and plums.

The most famous hybrid fruit (it’s a hometown favorite) is the Tangelo aka Honeybell.  Tangelo is a citrus fruit that is a hybrid of a tangerine and either a pomelo or a grapefruit. The fruits are the size of an adult fist and have a tangerine taste, but are very juicy, to the point of not providing much flesh but producing excellent and plentiful juice. Tangelos generally have loose skin and are easier to peel than oranges. They are easily distinguished from oranges by a characteristic “nose” at the top of the fruit.

Our sweet Honeybell Tangelos are everybody’s favorites. We always hate when their season is over, and we know you do too. That’s why we wanted to warn you that the time to enjoy these sweet beauties is almost over. Please don’t delay.  Once you’ve tasted this delicious fruit, you’ll know why folks wait patiently (and not so patiently) all year to enjoy their next batch. Honeybell Tangelos are a delectable Florida secret. They peel like a tangerine and are so full of honey-sweet juice that you better be sure to have some napkins ready.  Their season is oh-so-short!   They are only available in January but you can order yours today.

Growing up every day my Grandmother would eat a grapefruit for breakfast and a large cup of coffee.  She would sit there while doing the morning crossword, and then the New York Time crossword putting a dash of sugar on her grapefruit before each bite.  Over the years this became a family tradition.  My mother does it, as does my father, and I do too.  My family loves grapefruits and they are an excellent way to begin any day.

The grapefruit we know today was developed in the West Indies in the early 1700s and first introduced to Florida in the 1820s. Today, most grapefruit is still grown in Florida. Since the early part of the 20th century, mutant strains of white grapefruit have appeared with pink to slightly reddish color, and have been propagated by citriculturists into several strains of grapefruit that are now best known as the Ruby Red. Grapefruit got its name from the way it grows in clusters (like grapes) on the tree. There is no mistaking a grapefruit tree—they are large with glossy dark green leaves and the fruit hangs in clusters on the tree. Grapefruit trees are beautiful and a member of the citrus family offering about 69% of the RDA for vitamin C. Grapefruit also provides about 250mg of potassium and pectin a soluble fiber effective in lowering cholesterol levels. It seems to be a cross between an orange and a shaddock, combining the sweet and tangy flavor of each fruit.

Here at Poinsettia Groves we love grapefruit.  Our grapefruit is Loved all over the world for its amazing flavor, our Ruby Red Grapefruit stands tall as one of Florida’s tastiest treats. This sizeable variety is the BEST GRAPEFRUIT IN THE WORLD! And it’s so naturally sweet, no sugar’s necessary! Great anytime, day or night!  Order your bundle today!

EASY CITRUS-HERB CRANBERRY SAUCE

Cut 3 clementine in half. Remove any seeds. In a processor, pulse the clementine halves until finely chopped. Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram and 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Pulse to mix, then transfer to a bowl and stir in a 14-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce.

*It tastes great -Local food was probably picked within the past day or two. So it’s definitely fresh.

*Local gives you more nutrients -  Fresh produce loses nutrients quickly.  The fruit you get at the supermaket has been sitting for days.

* Local farms support local families -  Local farmers sell direct.  They get full price for their food. This means farms can stay on the farm.

* Buying local builds community – It really bothers many that they do not know where their food is coming from, and under what conditions.  This way you know exactly where your next meal came from and they helped you pick out exactly what you needed.

* Buying Local Helps the Environment-  Crops capture carbon emissions and help combat global warming. According to some estimates, 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry is sequestered.