Honeybell Tangelos

Our Honeybell Oranges are dripping with sweetness and sparkling with juice. Available for only a few short weeks in January and February, lovers of Honeybell Oranges wait anxiously for this season. Why are Honeybell Oranges so special? Here are the 4 S's:

• Sweetness - Hands-down Honeybell Oranges have the sweetest flavor around. No other variety can touch the Honeybell's sweetness.

• Succulence - Honeybell Oranges have so much delicious juice you may want to eat them in the bathtub. No other fruit has as much juice as Florida's Honeybell Oranges.

• Skin - The outside of a Honeybell is a deep orange color that's easy to peel. Inside this fruit is just as richly colored, seedless and easy to section.

• Shape - The Honeybell Oranges have a unique bell shape that's hard to miss. Just follow the "ahhs."

Honeybell lovers begin ordering this special fruit in the Fall. With supplies limited by the short harvest season we urge you to order now to reserve your special Honeybell Oranges.

Honeybell Oranges are most enjoyed for fresh eating out of hand, however the juice of the Honeybell is also very delicious. The juice will generally hold its flavor for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, but neither the juice nor the fruit will freeze well.

Availability

Our Florida Honeybell Oranges are available January to February.

History

The Honeybell Orange is actually a tangelo, that is, a tangerine-grapefruit hybrid. It is also called Minneola Tangelo. It was developed by researchers in central Florida, near Orlando, and released to growers and the public by the USDA Horticultural Research Station in 1931. The citrus world hasn't been the same since.

Honeybell Oranges were developed by crossing Duncan Grapefruit with Dancy Tangerines. The Duncan is known for its rich, sweet flavor and juice, but it is also very seedy. The Dancy Tangerine is sweet and flavorful but also small with seeds. Crossing these two varieties resulted in a large orange with a delicious sweet-acid flavor and extremely high juice content. Honeybell Oranges are usually seedless or have very few seeds.

No Concern About Drug Interaction

According to the USDA Agricultural Research Center (ARC) there is no concern about drug interaction. Many medical professionals recommend to patients that they do not consume grapefruit when taking certain drugs, especially statins like Lipitor and Zocor, due to compounds in grapefruit that prevent breakdown of these drugs. Because Honeybell Oranges contain grapefruit parentage some people have asked about whether Honeybell Oranges will also interact with these drugs. A study by ARC determined that tangelo hybrids, including Honeybell Oranges, do not contain the compounds which cause the interaction. Complete information is available online in the report, TANGERINE/GRAPEFRUIT HYBRIDS (TANGELOS) DO NOT HAVE FURANOCOUMARINS ASSOCIATED WITH GRAPEFRUIT/DRUG INTERACTIONS.

Nutritional Information

One medium tangelo or 1 cup sections (3.5 ounces in weight) contains:

• 47 calories

• 94 gm protein

• 11.8 gm carbohydrates

• 2.4 gm dietary fiber

• 12 gm fat

• 86.8% water

• 21 RE vitamin A

• 53.2 mg vitamin C

• 30.3 mcg folate

• 40 mg calcium

Recipe: Tangelo and Kiwi Salsa

Excellent served with pork, poultry or seafood

In a 2-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and pepper; saute until translucent - about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir tangelos, kiwi fruit, and lemon or lime juice into onion mixture. Spoon salsa into small serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold - about 1 hour. Makes: 2 cups