Organic “Moro” Blood Oranges on sale in January 2023 for $2.59/lb

“Moro” blood oranges have a rind that is orange, kissed with red blush, and has a leathery texture, pebbled with prominent oil glands. Underneath the surface of the rind, there is a medium-thick pith that is white, spongy, and tightly adhered to the flesh. The flesh ranges in color from orange with red blush, to maroon, crimson, to a saturated, almost black hue, depending on the climate that it is grown in. The flesh is also soft, juicy, and nearly seedless, divided into 10-11 segments by thin membranes. Moro blood oranges have a slightly sweet, floral fragrance and a sweet-tart taste with notes of cherries and raspberries. The oranges with the deepest pigmentation will exhibit more intense sweet berry notes characteristic to blood oranges.

Moro blood oranges, botanically classified as Citrus sinensis, are an early season Italian variety that grows on a highly ornamental, evergreen tree that belongs to the Rutaceae or citrus family. Their color is due to a pigment called anthocyanin, not usually present in citrus but common in other red fruits and flowers. Fluctuations in temperature greatly affect the degree to which blood oranges develop their characteristic blush. Though the Moro can vary greatly in this respect, no other blood orange variety is known to exhibit such deeply red colored fruits.

Moro blood oranges are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, thiamine, dietary fiber and most notably antioxidants supplied by its anthocyanin content.

Moro blood oranges are both intensely flavored and colored, adding a unique citrus flavor as well as visual appeal to a dish. They are often used raw and can be sliced and mixed into parfaits, desserts, salads, salsa, and garnished over seafood and poultry. Moro blood oranges also stand up well in cooked applications and may be paired with sweet or savory flavors. Moro blood orange juice can also be served as a stand-alone juice, used in cocktails with prosecco, cooked into syrups, sorbets, marmalades, compotes, sauces, and vinaigrettes, or used to flavor cheesecake, pound cake, or muffins. Moro blood oranges pair well with meats such as duck, poultry, pork, and seafood such as Mahi Mahi, other citrus, mint, tarragon, soft cheeses, shallots, arugula, roasted beets, fennel, shallot, Dijon mustard, Greek yogurt, honey, rolled oats, pistachios, sweetened coconut, mango, cinnamon, avocado, ginger, lime, mint, and cilantro.

They will keep up to one week when stored at room temperature and up to two weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

Season: Grown in California and available year-round.

Flavor: Celery has a mild and strong taste at the same time, giving it a bold flavor. It can remind you of raw or green onions in a way, with an earthy taste. It can also taste unpleasant to some people and has a plant-like taste much like lettuce and kale does.

Choosing & Storage: It’s a not good idea to keep celery at room temperature for more than a few hours at a time. If you want to avoid celery from going bad, you will need to use a storage bag and make sure it stays in the refrigerator less than five days. Don’t keep celery for too long since it will start to rot. The vegetable crisper is your safest bet, but it would be a good idea to use an airtight container as well. Celery (especially if cut) has a strong smell and may contaminate other foods, so be mindful.

How to use: Fresh – with peanut butter for snacking or finely chopped and added to potato salad, egg salad or tuna salad. Cooked in soups and stews. Juice and drink it fresh by itself or combine with other fruits or vegetables.

Nutrition: Celery is mainly made up of water, but it also provides dietary fiber. Beyond apigenin and luteolin, celery contains other plant compounds that have powerful antioxidant properties, selinene, limonene, kaempferol, p-coumaric acid. Celery also provides small amounts of vitamin K, folate, vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin C.

Organic Asparagus (green)

Season: Grown in California! February to June

Flavor: Its flavor is mildly sulphuric, mostly sweet and slightly nutty, more-so when grilled.

Storage: Store asparagus in a bag in the refrigerator, preferably in the crisper between 32 and 36 degrees F. Properly stored asparagus can last between 1 and 2 weeks. Things can go downhill for asparagus pretty rapidly, especially the tips, so try to eat it as soon as possible. If you must wait, you can preserve your spring-y bounty by trimming the ends of the stalks and standing the bunch (still bound together — if you bought them loose, then tie them up for balance) in a cup of water in the refrigerator.

How to use: Some people peel asparagus, but unless you are dealing with exceptionally woody stalks, it is generally unnecessary. However, you absolutely should trim the end of each spear. The question is, how much should you trim before preparing? This tip takes the guesswork out of trimming: Grasp a stalk with one hand around the root end at its furthest point, and the other about mid-way down the stalk and gently bend. Wherever it breaks is where it should be trimmed to.

Don’t be afraid of Jumbo/XL/Large Asparagus! Fat asparagus is actually more tender than thin. Each stalk has the same amount of support fibers, so Large Asparagus stalk has more flesh in between those fibers.

The most important thing — by far — about preparing asparagus is not to overcook it. It is delicious raw, shaved or sliced quite thin, steamed or roasted or grilled (which enhances its nutty flavor).

Nutrition: Like most green vegetables, asparagus is good for you. Among its healthful properties are folate, Vitamin C, potassium, inulin (which is said to be “prebiotic” and is known to aid in digestion), anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and possibly anti-cancer effects. Asparagus has also been used medicinally as a laxative, and its cooking water has been used as a wash to treat acne.

Organic Russet Potatoes

Season: These potatoes are currently coming from Oregon

Flavor: Mild; earthy; medium sugar content. Russets are long and large with a thick, rough, skin. A high-starch potato, with a flesh that’s snowy white and very dry, they are the quintessential baking potato.

Storage: Store potatoes in a cool, dark place with low humidity (a basement is ideal). Kept dry and in a dark place, most potatoes will keep for at least a month and up to three months (or more!). We don’t recommend storing them in the refrigerator and store them away from onions, as they release gases that interact and make each spoil more quickly.

How to use: Varieties with high levels of starch, like russet potatoes, are well-suited to baking and mashing. Also good for French fries.

Nutrition: One baked medium russet potato with skin contains 168 calories, 5 grams of protein and 37 grams of carbohydrate, including 4 grams of fiber. The fiber and protein in the potato will help to fill you up so you eat fewer calories. Fiber may also help lower your risk for constipation, heart disease and diabetes.

Consuming a medium russet potato provides you with vitamin B-6, niacin, folate, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin C. Vitamin B-6, niacin, folate, thiamine and riboflavin are B vitamins, which turn the food you eat into energy, help your nervous system function properly and keep your hair, skin, eyes and liver healthy. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and is important for growing new tissues and repairing wounds.