It’s easy to chase away drab winter days by unpeeling a ripe blood orange…it can also be a shocking experience – even if you know what to expect!

February in Switzerland tends to linger…

The cold and gray winter days sometimes seem endless as time just hangs in the air. It can’t be long until spring and longer days burst onto the scene with a fresh new look – or so the calendar says! But no, not just yet…it’s still February!

But wait…there is a way to escape the drab days of late winter – eat a blood orange!

I’ll never forget my first encounter with a blood orange. It seemed unnatural as I gazed at the intense deep purple flesh, and I will admit…I was not too excited about putting any of this into my mouth. It just seemed wrong.

But after a few sheepish moments, I decided to give it a go and preserve my reputation (self-created) as an adventurous eater.

I was rewarded.

The flavors erupted instantaneously. There were hints of raspberry and pine…and plenty of natural sweetness. The juices…well, they seemed extreme, leaving me confused and wondering if I was drinking or eating. Then…the acids arrived and all of my hibernating senses woke up at once. It was like feeling the sun as it disintegrates a thick layer of fog…and I smiled.  

Finding blood oranges in Switzerland is relatively simple. I prefer shopping for blood oranges at the market, but they are also easy to locate in major supermarkets. I’m just not certain about the quality of the orange after sitting in storage warehouses for extended periods, or how many pesticides managed to seep through their porous skin (a big problem with citrus fruits and a major reason I prefer sticking to organic citrus).

The origin of the blood orange remains a bit unclear, but most experts agree they are a mutation of a sweet orange coming from either North Africa or Sicily. Almost all European blood oranges are grown in Sicily, Spain or Malta.

Although there are quite a number of different varieties of blood oranges (most have been developed during the past 50-100 years), there are three main types to look for: Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinelli (Sanguinello if you prefer the Spanish version).

The season for blood oranges extends from mid- to late-November through March. The first arrivals in Switzerland are always the Tarocco variety, which begin showing up at the market in late November. Taroccos are medium-sized, and are very sweet and juicy (some say the sweetest of all oranges). They almost never turn a deep red color, but rather remain sort of half-stained. In fact, the really early Taroccos are completely orange, which may lead one to wonder why they are part of the ‘blood’ family. After the first of the year, Taroccos will begin to develop some color while remaining intensely sweet and juicy. For the health conscious…Taroccos are also know to have the highest concentration of vitamin C from any orange variety.

The Moro usually begins to show up in Switzerland around the middle of December. They are much smaller than the Taroccos, and they are often wrapped in paper to protect them from moisture loss. Moros will take on a shockingly dark color as the weather cools in January and February (the name is actually rather rude as it refers to the skin color of the Moorish people from North Africa). They are generally seedless – or have very few seeds, and have a sweet and tart flavor.

The late-comer of blood oranges is the Sanguinelli, which can come from either Spain or Sicily. They will begin to show-up in February and usually remain at the market until April. These oranges are seedless, and like the Moro, they can have a very dark flesh. They are sweeter than the Moro, but not as sweet as the Tarocco.

Nutritionally, blood oranges are an excellent functional food. Ok…I am usually quite skeptical when people refer to any one food as a wonder food, but blood oranges are extremely rich in vitamin C, fiber (28% of daily amounts), potassium (15% of daily amounts), iron and antioxidants (which may reduce risks associated with various ailments and even aging).

They also taste good. 

Blood oranges can be used in a number of creative ways. Their skin has high concentrations of oils, which make their zest valuable as a flavoring agent (just wash them well first). I like grating the zest into pie doughs, cookie doughs and into hot cream before making a chocolate ganache or baked custard.

Blood oranges are also excellent when simply juiced. A very dark, freshly squeezed glass of Moro juice is an excellent start to any day! I also like mixing the juice  with yogurt and a bit of honey, then blending it well to produce an interesting frappe.

I also like adding a few segments of blood oranges to a salad of bitter greens and nuts, then simply tossing everything together with a high quality olive oil. It’s a quick and easy salad to make, and a great way to enjoy a light meal.

Blood oranges can also replace a sweet orange in almost any recipe…just remember they tend to have higher concentrations of acids and juice, so some slight adjustments may be needed in your recipe.

Finally…blood oranges are simply terrific when enjoyed raw. In my many years of eating…and cooking, I have encountered few foods which have evoked such an intense reaction. To me…a blood orange is a gift from nature…a reminder that brighter times are just around the corner.