Blood Oranges!

OK, I know I'm supposed to be prepping for our P.S. trip (see below), but I can't help myself. I just remembered that Blood Oranges should be available in California now!!! Although Italian in origin, grown in California in the U.S., the season is December through July. The red interior color is due to a pigment called anthocyanin which is not typically found in citrus but is common in flowers. One of the things I most miss about our previous California existence is a very special Blood Orange tree that grew along our driveway. Fantastic fruit!

The flavor of blood oranges is completely different and less acidic from the navel oranges you are now seeing in grocery stores. Many people, upon first seeing the dark red fruit, express a sort of fascinated horror. It's unlike any other fruit. If you’ve never had one, it’s worth a trip to California just to get some. The skin can be dark orange to dark red. The flesh is a deep ruby, the juice stains everything magenta, the flavor is tart and sweet, a mix of sweetest orange and tangy raspberry, the scent is more flowery than regular oranges. I can almost smell them now, even though it will take me 10-hours of driving to reach them!

Here's a salad that combines naval & blood oranges & sweet red onions & mediterranean olives -- enough Vitamin C to chase away the winter blues:
Wikipedia cites these health benefits:

Blood oranges contain nutritional and preventive properties ... incorporated into home remedies for centuries ... blood oranges are a good source of Vitamin C. The fruit's red pigment, anthocyanin, is an antioxidant that reduces the risks associated with many ailments, including age-related illnesses.
Blood oranges contain about 130 percent of the recommended amounts of Vitamin C, and diminish the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer and "bad" cholesterol build-up. They may also reduce the risk of cataracts, and aid in the body's healing process.
One medium-size orange contains 260 milligrams of potassium ... (which) lowers blood pressure, decreasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, helps to regulate heart rhythm ...

Here's the complete Wiki Blood Orange ref link. It's all good!