Cara Mia

I'm in love, truly in love with this little beauty.  I snapped this in the assistant principal's office at one of my schools, figuring that if Bakerina can make sourdough sponge at work, I could take pictures of my new-found love at school (it was probably the most productive thing to happen in that office all day.  And if you think that the blithe snapping of photos of citrus fruit on top of the stunningly dull standardized test-prep materials shows a lack of respect for the tests themselves  -- well, let's just say you're on the right track.  But that's a story for another place, another blog [earth-shattering expose of the horrors of the public school system?]). 

As you may already be aware, this is a Cara Cara orange.  The Californians of course are yawning their ho-hums, but it's a somewhat newer fruit to those of us in other parts of the country.  They're certainly new to me -- and I am oh-so-glad that I discovered them.   On the outside, they look pretty much like a navel orange.  What I'm a sucker for is their inner beauty; that peachy, salmony, tequila sunrise color is a charming surprise.   A blush-pink orange! 

I've aways had great affection for blood oranges, ever since my mother smuggled some home from Italy when I was a child.  I love the drama of their color and the tiny shock of their haunting flavor.  These Cara Caras, however, are a sweeter and perhaps friendlier treat.  They're not quite so in-your-face as the show-stopping blood orange, but still a wonderful contrast to other orangey cousins.    Let's face it, I love citrus, all kinds of citrus, on its own and in every sort of dish that you or I can imagine.  The problem is that occasionally the acid can be a leetle bit bothersome.  These darlings, however, are not only gorgeous and delicious, but low in acid as well.  The other night we had two homemade desserts in the house, since I was a busy bee last week and made dark chocolate pudding with whipped cream one night and brown sugar-pineapple crumble the next.  But when it came down to it, I decided that I'd rather have a Cara Cara for dessert.  That sort of choice (while not totally unheard-of) is somewhat unusual for me when not based on a dietary or caloric decision.  I love them for themselves alone, you see, not for their healthy or low calorie benefits.

The only glitch is that I could blow the rent check buying them.  But it would almost be worth it.

Comments

[Journey Girl]

Beautiful entry, lovely photo. Makes me want an orange... I haven't seen those on our side of the street yet... hopefully coming soon. My husband loves the valencia oranges, since they're small, low-pith, and seedless. Wonder what he'll think of an orange the color of his favorite fish? :)

Have you tried juicing it yet?

~S

[Joe C]

Where's mines? And where did you buy them?

[Joe C]

Hmmm. Must be that new camera...

[Julie]

JourneyGirl, I haven't juiced them only because at the current price in NYC, a glass of juice would end up costing about 5 bucks. So I ate two of the four that I bought last week as my lunch-bag treat. The other two I took down to DC for my train ride, and since I was traveling with someone else and pretending to be a nice person, I gave her one. Would that the price drops enough that I can begin to experiment...

JC, yours are in the store, hence you must hustle your hiney hither and get you some. And while you're at it, get me some more too. Don't they have them at Whole Foods? I got mine at Fairway (of course). Actually, I think they'd be a great treat for Dad -- let's bring him some. And yes, what a difference a camera makes...

[Lea]

Julie, you've got me howling with laughter! Only a sister could speak to her brother that way! Believe me, I know. I've got two of those critters myself. They need constant feeding and watering and always want some of what you've got. But, ya gotta love 'em. They always show up when you need them...God bless our brothers! They're truely my best friends. Those oranges are so darn good. BTW, I picked a Meyer lemon today the size of a large orange. That's the first time I've seen one that large, and it scared the heck outta me. Lea

[Bakerina]

Oh, I think that all test prep materials are made better by a nice pink-fleshed orange sitting atop them. :) I'm with you. I love these oranges meself; they carry us into rhubarb season quite nicely. Speaking of which, I think that by the time Lloyd and I get back from Scotland, rhubarb should be in full swing. Shall we put our heads together and bake something lovely with it?

[Julie]

Absolutely, Lea -- I'm blessed by the best of brothers, and that's why I get to talk to him that way. And wow, you're still getting Meyers...mmmmmm. BTW, G and I are thinking about coming out to the Bay Area this summer. We should figure out a get-together!

Hoo-yah! a Bakerina/Fingerinthepie rhubarb fest! Mmmm...I'm thinking rhubarb coffee-cake muffins...or some sorta rhubarb pound cake kinda thing...or a panna cotta sitting on a rhubarb compote...now what did you have in mind, my dear? I can't wait to hear/know/read every detail of your Scotland trip -- it sounds like a heavenly plan.

And I think that not only the test materials are improved by the Cara Caras. I'm going to do a study to see if I can raise test scores by giving a control group a Cara Cara orange to eat during the test. Whaddya wanna bet their scores go up?

[Kelli]

Oooooo... I saw those at the grocery store the other day and wondered what they were all about. They sound wonderful. I love blood oranges, too, and I am especially partial to minneolas. I just might have to give "Cara" a try! =)

[Julie]

Kelli, definitely give these a try.

[Joe Bellacero]

Julie,
I may be revealing too much about myself here, but personally I think your nice peachy fleshed little cara caras should have a bra on when they're in school.

Joe

[Julie]

And here I thought you were against censorship, Joe...another boulevard of broken dreams...