Has anyone ordered Florida citrus by mail this season (Dec-Jan)?

A couple of weeks ago, I received 1/2 bushel of mixed citrus (varieties
of oranges and grapefruit) and was quite disappointed. At its best
(mainly the grapefruit), it was comparable to what I can get in the
supermarket. The oranges were mediocre at best and a number of them were
close to tasteless. One orange was covered by mold.

A friend of my sister's gave me some oranges she'd gotten by mail
(different grower), and they were also essentially tasteless.

I remembered picking some grapefruit straight from the tree when I went
sea kayaking not far from Orlando about 12 years ago, and they were
almost as sweet as some of the supermarket oranges I've purchased. I was
hoping to get something like that again, but it was not to be.

Is it just a poor growing season?

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Scott wrote:
> Has anyone ordered Florida citrus by mail this season (Dec-Jan)?
>
> A couple of weeks ago, I received 1/2 bushel of mixed citrus (varieties
> of oranges and grapefruit) and was quite disappointed. At its best
> (mainly the grapefruit), it was comparable to what I can get in the
> supermarket. The oranges were mediocre at best and a number of them were
> close to tasteless. One orange was covered by mold.
>
> A friend of my sister's gave me some oranges she'd gotten by mail
> (different grower), and they were also essentially tasteless.
>
> I remembered picking some grapefruit straight from the tree when I went
> sea kayaking not far from Orlando about 12 years ago, and they were
> almost as sweet as some of the supermarket oranges I've purchased. I was
> hoping to get something like that again, but it was not to be.
>
> Is it just a poor growing season?
>
I received Honeybells from Florida, those special, huge oranges that
are only shipped for two weeks in January and have easy to peel skin
and few pits.

Well, this year they came with a note, saying that because of the
weather they are small, but still tasty. Having been in Miami for
Thanksgiving, I knew that this year's oranges are not as good as usual.

The honeybells are small, the skin is thicker than usual and has dark
spots on some. There are many pits in the oranges, but surprisingly,
the flesh is tasty, juicy and somewhat tart. They cannot compare with
how they usually look and taste, but they are better than anything
from Florida in the New York City markets.

I will certainly not complain. I am glad that by eating these
oranges, i am helping Florida's economy that is suffering so sorely
from all the hurricanes in 2004.

We just have to make the best of the current crop and hope for better
citrus fruit later on this year.

M

Scott wrote:
> Has anyone ordered Florida citrus by mail this season (Dec-Jan)?
>
> A couple of weeks ago, I received 1/2 bushel of mixed citrus (varieties
> of oranges and grapefruit) and was quite disappointed. At its best
> (mainly the grapefruit), it was comparable to what I can get in the
> supermarket. The oranges were mediocre at best and a number of them were
> close to tasteless. One orange was covered by mold.
>
> A friend of my sister's gave me some oranges she'd gotten by mail
> (different grower), and they were also essentially tasteless.
>
> I remembered picking some grapefruit straight from the tree when I went
> sea kayaking not far from Orlando about 12 years ago, and they were
> almost as sweet as some of the supermarket oranges I've purchased. I was
> hoping to get something like that again, but it was not to be.
>
> Is it just a poor growing season?
>
I received Honeybells from Florida, those special, huge oranges that
are only shipped for two weeks in January and have easy to peel skin
and few pits.

Well, this year they came with a note, saying that because of the
weather they are small, but still tasty. Having been in Miami for
Thanksgiving, I knew that this year's oranges are not as good as usual.

The honeybells are small, the skin is thicker than usual and has dark
spots on some. There are many pits in the oranges, but surprisingly,
the flesh is tasty, juicy and somewhat tart. They cannot compare with
how they usually look and taste, but they are better than anything
from Florida in the New York City markets.

I will certainly not complain. I am glad that by eating these
oranges, i am helping Florida's economy that is suffering so sorely
from all the hurricanes in 2004.

We just have to make the best of the current crop and hope for better
citrus fruit later on this year.

M

Scott > wrote:

>Has anyone ordered Florida citrus by mail this season (Dec-Jan)?
>
>A couple of weeks ago, I received 1/2 bushel of mixed citrus (varieties
>of oranges and grapefruit) and was quite disappointed. At its best
>(mainly the grapefruit), it was comparable to what I can get in the
>supermarket. The oranges were mediocre at best and a number of them were
>close to tasteless. One orange was covered by mold.
>
>A friend of my sister's gave me some oranges she'd gotten by mail
>(different grower), and they were also essentially tasteless.
>
>I remembered picking some grapefruit straight from the tree when I went
>sea kayaking not far from Orlando about 12 years ago, and they were
>almost as sweet as some of the supermarket oranges I've purchased. I was
>hoping to get something like that again, but it was not to be.
>
>Is it just a poor growing season?


Think 4 hurricanes last fall. Or just a poor orchard.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral, 48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

Margaret Suran wrote:
> Scott wrote:

> > A couple of weeks ago, I received 1/2 bushel of mixed citrus
(varieties
> > of oranges and grapefruit) and was quite disappointed. At its best
> > (mainly the grapefruit), it was comparable to what I can get in the

> > supermarket. The oranges were mediocre at best and a number of them
were
> > close to tasteless. One orange was covered by mold.


> > Is it just a poor growing season?
> >
> I received Honeybells from Florida, those special, huge oranges that
> are only shipped for two weeks in January and have easy to peel skin
> and few pits.
>
> Well, this year they came with a note, saying that because of the
> weather they are small, but still tasty. Having been in Miami for
> Thanksgiving, I knew that this year's oranges are not as good as
usual.


Honeybells, in reality Minneola tangelos, are what I normally order
from Florida. You can get Minneolas in the grocery store sometimes, but
they're always ones from California and don't taste quite as good,
although a nice change of pace fruit.

Usually the honeybells are quite a treat. I didn't get any this year
because so many of my cow-orkers I used to split the bushels with have
moved on to other projects or companies. It's the first time is several
years than I didn't order.

I have been working my way through a crate of Clementines I got at the
grocery store.



Brian

In article . com>,
"Default User" > wrote:

> I have been working my way through a crate of Clementines I got at the
> grocery store.


I haven't had the chance to check, but around this time of year, a local
supermarket usually gets these Clementine hybrids from Israel. They have
uniformly been *far* tastier than the usual ones from Spain.

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In article . com>,
"Default User" > wrote:

> I have been working my way through a crate of Clementines I got at the
> grocery store.


I haven't had the chance to check, but around this time of year, a local
supermarket usually gets these Clementine hybrids from Israel. They have
uniformly been *far* tastier than the usual ones from Spain.

--
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Default User wrote:

> Honeybells, in reality Minneola tangelos, are what I normally order
> from Florida. You can get Minneolas in the grocery store
> sometimes, but they're always ones from California and don't taste
> quite as good, although a nice change of pace fruit.
>
> Usually the honeybells are quite a treat. I didn't get any this
> year because so many of my cow-orkers I used to split the bushels
> with have moved on to other projects or companies. It's the first
> time is several years than I didn't order.
>
> I have been working my way through a crate of Clementines I got at
> the grocery store.
>
The Clementines from Spain are very good this year, but the ones that
are grown in the USA, at least the ones I tasted, are really bad.
They are full of seeds and do not taste anything like the imported
ones. They are just plain old tangerines and not even as good as the
ones I remember.

"Margaret Suran" > wrote in message
...

> .......
> I will certainly not complain. I am glad that by eating these
> oranges, i am helping Florida's economy that is suffering so sorely
> from all the hurricanes in 2004.
> .......

Please do not suffer unnecessarily. From today's Orlando
Sentinel:

TALLAHASSEE -- More than $1 billion for public schools and
$285 million in tax cuts mostly for wealthier Floridians and
corporations top a $61.6 billion budget proposal unveiled today
by Gov. Jeb Bush.

With more than $4 billion in extra tax dollars to spend, sparked
by a red-hot real estate market and hurricane rebuilding, Bush
was able to boost funding for education and economic development
while tightening the belt on services for many low-income Floridians.

pavane

Margaret Suran wrote:
> Default User wrote:
>
>> Honeybells, in reality Minneola tangelos, are what I
>> normally order from Florida. You can get Minneolas in
>> the grocery store sometimes, but they're always ones
>> from California and don't taste quite as good, although
>> a nice change of pace fruit. Usually the honeybells are quite a treat.
>> I didn't get
>> any this year because so many of my cow-orkers I used to
>> split the bushels with have moved on to other projects
>> or companies. It's the first time is several years than
>> I didn't order. I have been working my way through a crate of
>> Clementines I got at the grocery store.
>>
> The Clementines from Spain are very good this year, but
> the ones that are grown in the USA, at least the ones I
> tasted, are really bad. They are full of seeds and do not
> taste anything like the imported ones. They are just
> plain old tangerines and not even as good as the ones I
> remember.

We save the good ones for ourselves.
;-)

BOB
in Florida, just barely outside of the Indian River Citrus area

pavane wrote:
> "Margaret Suran" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>
>>.......
>>I will certainly not complain. I am glad that by eating these
>>oranges, i am helping Florida's economy that is suffering so sorely
>>from all the hurricanes in 2004.
>>.......
>
>
> Please do not suffer unnecessarily. From today's Orlando
> Sentinel:
>
> TALLAHASSEE -- More than $1 billion for public schools and
> $285 million in tax cuts mostly for wealthier Floridians and
> corporations top a $61.6 billion budget proposal unveiled today
> by Gov. Jeb Bush.
>
> With more than $4 billion in extra tax dollars to spend, sparked
> by a red-hot real estate market and hurricane rebuilding, Bush
> was able to boost funding for education and economic development
> while tightening the belt on services for many low-income Floridians.
>
> pavane
>
>
>
OOPS, this seems to a family trait. M

"Margaret Suran" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> pavane wrote:
> > "Margaret Suran" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >
> >>.......
> >>I will certainly not complain. I am glad that by eating these
> >>oranges, i am helping Florida's economy that is suffering so sorely
> >>from all the hurricanes in 2004.
> >>.......
> >
> >
> > Please do not suffer unnecessarily. From today's Orlando
> > Sentinel:
> >
> > TALLAHASSEE -- More than $1 billion for public schools and
> > $285 million in tax cuts mostly for wealthier Floridians and
> > corporations top a $61.6 billion budget proposal unveiled today
> > by Gov. Jeb Bush.
> >
> > With more than $4 billion in extra tax dollars to spend, sparked
> > by a red-hot real estate market and hurricane rebuilding, Bush
> > was able to boost funding for education and economic development
> > while tightening the belt on services for many low-income Floridians.
> >
> > pavane
> >
> >
> >
> OOPS, this seems to a family trait. M
>

Yes indeed.

Speaking of Fascism, one of the RFC newsgroup Monitors reported
me to my ISP for SPAM/Posting Abuse for the above posting relative
to the orange crop and budget. Just thought you might like to know.

And so we stay rigorously on topic, my solution to some of the
poor quality Florida oranges is as follows: Cut the fruit crossways
into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices, trim as much rind as possible, and dust
them with a light coating of brown sugar, possibly a touch of rum
or bourbon. After standing for an hour or so whatever juice they have
will be amplified by the sugar/rum coating and come out pretty good.

pavane

pavane wrote:

> Speaking of Fascism, one of the RFC newsgroup Monitors reported
> me to my ISP for SPAM/Posting Abuse for the above posting relative
> to the orange crop and budget. Just thought you might like to know.

Huh? RFC doesn't have any monitors.
Goomba

Roque Ja wrote:

> On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:02:55 -0500, Goomba38 >
> wrote:
>
>
>>pavane wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Speaking of Fascism, one of the RFC newsgroup Monitors reported
>>>me to my ISP for SPAM/Posting Abuse for the above posting relative
>>>to the orange crop and budget. Just thought you might like to know.
>>
>>Huh? RFC doesn't have any monitors.
>>Goomba
>
>
>
> Clearly it does. And, clearly, they are watching.
>
> Must be a family trait.

Or it was just some random jerkwad calling themselves a moderator in
order to assume a patina of authority. The OP should let his ISP know
that rec.food.cooking is unmoderated. Perhaps they would like to
contact either the "moderator" or his/her ISP....

BK

"Roque Ja" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:02:55 -0500, Goomba38 >
> wrote:
>
> >pavane wrote:
> >
> >> Speaking of Fascism, one of the RFC newsgroup Monitors reported
> >> me to my ISP for SPAM/Posting Abuse for the above posting relative
> >> to the orange crop and budget. Just thought you might like to know.
> >
> >Huh? RFC doesn't have any monitors.
> >Goomba
>
>
> Clearly it does. And, clearly, they are watching.
>
> Must be a family trait.

A touch of cardamom with the brown sugar will add an
invigorating little twist to the normal orange flavor, and
improve the poor little fruits even more.

You see, a week or so ago I posted something critical of
one "Dimitri" and enraged numerous (at least one, anyway)
regular contributors to this newsgroup. Then followed the
normal postings of "I am putting you in a killfile" and such-
like nonsense, what one would expect from people in Distress
over their Dear Friends being criticized in print. Lo! and Behold!
my very next posting, the one referred to above, was sent to
my ISP with the observation that it was off-subject for the
newsgroup. So Beware The Bushes, avoid those in Distress
and say only what is nice and pleasing to these wonderful
people. Or else they will Run To Mommy and Cry.

pavane

In article >,
Alan wrote:

> I've had GREAT fruit from Harry & David, based in Washington state. Bought
> a year's worth of their Fruit-of-the-Month, and everything was wonderful
> and delicious.

My mother sends me a box of Harry & David Royal Riviera pears (the
"maverick" ones) every Christmas. A couple of days ago I realized that
there was no reason that a) RR pears had to be a gift or b) one couldn't
eat them after the holidays, so I ordered another box from me to me.
And they were on sale! I think those are the best pears ever.

Priscilla, looking forward to juice running down her chin

--
"It is very, very dangerous to treat any human, lowest
of the low even, with contempt and arrogant whatever.
The Lord takes this kind of treatment very, very personal."
- QBaal in newsgroup alt.religion.christian.episcopal

Priscilla Ballou wrote:
> In article >,
> Alan wrote:
>
>
>>I've had GREAT fruit from Harry & David, based in Washington state. Bought
>>a year's worth of their Fruit-of-the-Month, and everything was wonderful
>>and delicious.
>
>
> My mother sends me a box of Harry & David Royal Riviera pears (the
> "maverick" ones) every Christmas. A couple of days ago I realized that
> there was no reason that a) RR pears had to be a gift or b) one couldn't
> eat them after the holidays, so I ordered another box from me to me.
> And they were on sale! I think those are the best pears ever.
>


We have two H&D outlets nearby. I found the maverick pears
on sale, $5 off last week. We haven't had them in a few years,
and they were yummy.

gloria p

In article >,
Priscilla Ballou > wrote:

> In article >,
> Alan wrote:
>
> > I've had GREAT fruit from Harry & David, based in Washington state. Bought
> > a year's worth of their Fruit-of-the-Month, and everything was wonderful
> > and delicious.
>
> My mother sends me a box of Harry & David Royal Riviera pears (the
> "maverick" ones) every Christmas. A couple of days ago I realized that
> there was no reason that a) RR pears had to be a gift or b) one couldn't
> eat them after the holidays, so I ordered another box from me to me.
> And they were on sale! I think those are the best pears ever.
>
> Priscilla, looking forward to juice running down her chin



What? No Oregonians objecting to Harry & David being moved to
Washington??

Rosemary
--
To e-mail me remove the obvious before @ and change sinuswave to sinewave.

In article >, - wrote:

> We have an upscale supermarket near us, and they are noted for having
> good produce. It's easier to buy from them than to have to pay for a
> minimum 1/2 bushel of (probably) mediocre fruit from some mail-order
> place. And you can be a little surer that the products will be
> really good quality.

> Alan Moorman

> =========================================

What's the store, Alan? Byerly's?
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Trip Report and pics added 1-13-05
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

Rosemary wrote:

> What? No Oregonians objecting to Harry & David being moved to
> Washington??

Why would Oregonians object? If people THINK that Harry & David moved to
Washington, then they're less likely to visit Oregon, and that suits
Oregonians just fine.

There used to be a poster showing I-5 wending its way up through California,
but veering to the east when it got to Oregon, and going instead through
Nevada and Idaho, then veering back to the west when it reached Washington.
The caption was, "The governor of Oregon would like to invite you to visit
the states of California, Nevada, Idaho, and Washington."

Bob