Pink Orange From California — Cara Cara Orange
There is no sincerer love than the love of food. – George Bernard Shaw
I am an orange, but I am pink.
It caught my attention on a bag of oranges.
Last week when I walked in my grocery store, these oranges were stacked high at the entrance. With curiosity, I picked one bag that said, California specialty, Cara Cara Navel Oranges.
Interesting name, I thought.
How come I have not tasted them yet? But there is first time for everything. So, I put a bag of Cara Cara oranges in my basket, excited to cut open one as soon as I get home. On my way back I was thinking…
Pink orange!
Is it sweet or is it tangy?
Getting home, I washed and cut an orange. And indeed it was a pink orange. Beautiful glossy pink. And it tasted sweet……sweeter than other oranges.
Juicy, sweet, and pink! I tasted my first Cara Cara Orange.
Cara Cara oranges were first discovered in 1976 at Hacienda Cara Cara in Venezuela. I guess, that’s where they get their name from. Now they are grown in California as well.
They are a variety of navel oranges that is a cross between the Washington and Brazilian Bahia navel oranges. These beautiful oranges have rosy-pinkish flesh to deep red depending on the fruit. They are low in acid and quite sweet and juicy. Their season is limited from December to March-April.
So go ahead and enjoy them if they are available in your area while they last. These oranges are delicious on their own as a snack or in a simple salad. Juice them for a healthy drink. If you like granola or yogurt, Cara Cara oranges are good to pair with. Jam, jellies, and syrups are always an option for those who have sweet tooth.
Have you had Cara Cara oranges?
Simple Sustenance 
I do enjoy your posts, always fresh and natural! Thank you.
Thanks. I am glad you enjoy them. Simplicity inspires me.
How do you get them peeled without pith? When I peel an organge it’s usually covered in pith and when I try to peel that off chunks of orange come with it and I’m left with something that looks squishy and chewed by passing animals.
Sharp knife helps. You can even try serrated knife. Peel close to the flesh to remove the pith. There is a picture in this post (https://simplesustenanceforus.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/summer-in-a-bowl-honey-ginger-papaya-salad/) that shows a peeled orange and the peel next to it. It will give you an idea.
ciao! one of my favourite fruits. delicious post…as all your previous.
thebestdressup
I enjoy it too. Pink color makes it even more appealing:) Thanks.
I tried these and fell in love with them! But now I can’t find them anywhere…. Which store did you get them at?
They are seasonal from October-November to April in California. I got them at Trader Joes.