No, really. That's what this post is about. Oranges. That's all it's about. Me, and oranges, and random orange trivia.

I am unreasonably proud of myself for remembering the orange-rolling trick in November this year. Usually the memory resurfaces two months, buckets of cursing, & dozens of badly peeled clementines later. This year, I grabbed a bag on on-sale Cuties (tm) on my latest supplies run and--AND! I remembered to roll the very first one.

Yay, brain win!

I know, it isn't much of a trick. People who grew up eating oranges have probably known it forever. But I couldn't eat oranges until I was in my 30's, and I still can't handle most varieties most of the year. I get welts. And nausea. It's a reaction to citrus of all kinds, although grapefruit are The Worst for me. No I don't know why. No, I haven't "been tested." I'm not fond of spending money and time on medical Validation For the Sake Of Validation. I mean, what would it change? I already know what to avoid when.

Like a lot of allergies, time and hormones changed my tolerances. When I noticed I didn't always get welts on my fingers from removing lemons off iced tea glasses, that made me brave enough to try clementines. Thus I learned I could tolerate them! Rapture! Orangey, sweet, welt-free deliciousness!

But real clementines are only available from Mid-November to maybe end of January. I always end up with a bag I can't eat. Spouseman gets stuck with those, or I cut them up for the birds & squirrels.

Oh, and random trivia: not all Cuties are clementines. There are now loads of orange cultivars/hybrids that ripen at different times of year and they're all marketed the same, but they have hugely different acidity profiles, scents, and peel thicknesses. My body knows the difference. And most of them will cause wicked awful skin reactions & an unhappy gut. But not anaphylaxis, so, hey. Not complaining.

I'm just careful about when I buy Cuties. Last year I was able to find safe oranges all the way into the first week of lockdown, so. Things are improving. Bottom line, winter-ripening real clementines are YUM, but they aren't simple an easy like a banana.

Unless you know the trick. Which I do now! Huzzah!

What is it? Simple. Rolling an orange between your palms or against a hard surface (like, say, the kitchen counter) with steady, firm pressure breaks up the pithy inner part of the peel. Do it long enough, and you can actually feel the peel loosen from the fruit. This makes peeling MUCH easier.

So.
Much.
Easier.

Pistachios and oranges are my winter go-to treats. And now you know that.

That's all for now. Until later!