Robert's Market Report

Citrus City

I counted more than a dozen varieties of citrus fruit at Iovine Brothers Produce Saturday morning. Here they are, along with prices:

• Temple oranges 5/$1
• Jumanji oranges 2/$1.49
• Blood oranges 4/$1
• Tangelos 5/$1
• Tangelos (3-pound bag of about 11) $2.99
• Tangerines 10/$1
• Ruby grapefruit (medium) 3/$1
• Red grapefruit ( large) 2/$1.49
• Navel oranges (California) 2/$1.49
• White grapefruit (medium) $2/1
• Honeybells 2/$1
• Cara Cara red oranges 2/$1.49
• Navel oranges (Sunkist medium) 3/$1
  
• Juice oranges (Florida) 4/$1
• Red navel oranges (Florida) 4/$1

Among those varieties I've tried in the last couple of weeks, the red navels from Florida were interesting, but I don't think they hold universal appeal. The sweetness and juice levels were well below those of regular navels, and the taste was more akin to grapefruit. I've been unable in web searches to pin down this variety's ancestry, and wonder if it's a cross or derivative of grapefruit. Not a bad orange at all, and a nice change of pace. But not a knock-your-socks-off variety.

If organic and small grower citrus from Florida is one of your requirements, you might consider stopping by the Fair Food Farmstand and paying a premium. Navels and Cara Cara red oranges were selling for $1.50 apiece, Sunburst tangerous 95 cents each. A premier juice variety, Hamlin, priced at 60 cents apiece. Red grapefruit were $2.75.