Breakfast with Bobbie and Zaida
I have memories of sitting at my [Bobbie] bubbe’s kitchen table where the very important ritual of breakfast never changed for as long as I can remember back. There were instant coffee granules scooped and the chhhhuff chhhuf sound that it made very different from the whirrr of my parents coffee grinder. Perfectly shaped slices of toast with their cartoonish loaf shape popped up from the toaster and there was deliciously salty, oddly bright, and deep yellow margarine on the table. My zaida’s job was to make the orange juice, but if I was in town, I took over.
Orange Juice Memories
The memory of standing on a chair by the counter making orange juice is as vibrant as the smell that fills a room when you peel or cut into citrus. Now in my own home, I have a similar electric juicer and especially in the winter, I make myself a glass of orange juice on weekend mornings.
As a kid, in our house, orange juice was frothy and was made with a tube that came from the freezer. When I was little, growing up in Ontario in the 70’s, you didn’t really find fresh squeezed orange juice in the grocery store like you do now. If you had a bigger budget than we did you could buy the not-from concentrate kind, but we were on a budge and my mom always bought concentrate oj. I’m not sure if it was because we didn’t ever plan ahead to thaw the oj or not, but I loved that mom would make the oj in the blender. We would plop the concentrate into the blender, and then fill up the two or three empty cardboard tube with water and blend the juice. It made this wonderful thick orange juice foam on top…like a homemade, less sweet, Orange Julius/Julep. I do not like the taste of concentrate at all any more. I’m not sure if my taste buds have changed (well I know they have) or if the concentrate was a better product back then. Perhaps it is a little of both.
Not All Oranges are Equal
Not all oranges are equal. The other day I cut into my juicing oranges but there was one orange that didn’t look like any of the others. The fruit smelled like an orange but looked like a small ruby red grapefruit inside. I could not figure out what it was, but then I looked deep into the tiny little circle fruit sticker and saw that it was a Cara Cara Orange. Cara Cara oranges were a sample one day at the grocery store several years ago and people started talking more and more about them and praising their mellow sweetness. So this week I’m ditching the pale yellow and slightly tasteless juice oranges I have been buying and I’m making my juice with Cara Cara oranges. Then, as soon as I can make it to the winter markets to pick up some Florida juice oranges I will switch it up again. Soon I’ll be keeping an eye out for blood oranges for my blood orange salad, which is a winter favourite.
Do you make fresh squeezed orange juice? Is your juice made with Navel Oranges or another type? When picking up your fruit do you care if it is from Peru, California or Florida?
Drink Recipes to Satisfy Your Orange Obsession
From the perfect mimosa to an Orange Julius made at home, these recipes all sound good to me.
- Mimosas and Buck’s Fizz (plus a few other variations)
- Orange Julius Recipe from The Kitchn
- Ina Garten’s Orange Banana Smoothie
- Dairy Free Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
There is something about oranges and cream that throws me off. I haven’t tried an orange julius in years, though. I may have to give it another go.
I know. It does sound a bit gross but it really works.
What an awesome way to start your day! Our family is completely citrus obsessed and I cant wait to check out some of the recipes from your list!
fresh squeezed orange juice is the best!
Nothing beats fresh orange juice! Yum!
Mmm, orange is my favorite fruit and it’s such a good flavor to inspire so many different drinks!
I love oranges especially in the winter. Do you have a favourite type or orange or do you love them all?