The Honeybells Are In!

Something I always look forward to in January are the delivery of my Honeybells! They just arrived Friday afternoon. It was dark and gray and snowing but with the arrival of these it brightened the day up! I tried the first one this morning as mid morning snack and I was not disappointed. Thank goodness I had on a bum around shirt on because this years batch is extra juicy. As I made the first cut the juice went everywhere. Biting into that first piece I knew right away this year's crop was a winner! Sweet and juicy and just bursting with flavor. Plus at just 47 calories and 11 carbs makes for a great snack anytime. Never heard or tasted a Honeybell? I always order mine from Cushman's by Harry & David, never a bad order! Well here's a little background, recipe for Honeybell Sherbet, and a link to Cushman's. Don't miss out on these!     

Honeybell oranges are exceptionally sweet and juicy citrus fruits which only reach peak ripeness during the month of January. Also known as Minneola tangelos, Honeybell oranges are not actually oranges at all. They are a hybrid or cross between the Darcy variety of tangerine and either the Duncan or Bowen variety of grapefruit. This hybridization process, which some sources say can be traced back to the ancient Orient, yields a tangelo with the coloring and size of a grapefruit and the sweetness and juiciness of a tangerine. Honeybell oranges are prized for their sweetness and relative scarcity, along with their abundant supply of juice.

Many customers order Honeybell oranges months in advance of their actual due date in January. A few strains may be ready to ship in late December, but the majority of the Honeybell crop reaches maximum ripeness during the last weeks of January, or possibly early February. Virtually all Honeybell orange trees in the United States grow along the Indian River in Florida, and the crop yield is often regarded as unpredictable from year to year. Growers take orders for the oranges throughout the year, but can only harvest the crop during January and February. Great care must be taken while harvesting Honeybell oranges in order to avoid damaging the distinctively bell-shaped stem end of the fruit, which actually inspired the name for the fruit itself.

It is not unusual for a citrus grower to include a bib with larger orders of Honeybell oranges. The skin is fairly loose because of the hybridization process, but many people find eating the fruit to be a challenge because of its juiciness. Consuming Honeybell oranges while on the move would be nearly impossible. The use of a knife to cut out individual sections and a plate to capture excess juices is generally a good idea while eating these oranges. Two average sized Honeybell oranges can provide nearly a full glass of freshly squeezed juice.

Honeybell oranges can be ordered online, directly from commercial orchards or through catalogs which offer packages of citrus fruit as potential gift items. The fruit is generally hand-packed into special protective containers in order to prevent damage during shipping. The relative rarity of the variety and the special harvesting and handling requirements can make Honeybell oranges significantly more expensive than other selections, but most people who have experienced the fruit's sweetness consider it a worthwhile investment.


http://www.honeybell.com/gifts/store/home__10255_10008


Honeybell Sherbet
adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients:

8 ounces sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated Honeybell zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups freshly squeezed Honeybell juice, (approximately 5-6 Honeybells)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups very cold whole milk

Directions:

1.  In the bowl of a food processor combine all of the ingredients except the milk and process until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and whisk in the milk. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.

2.  Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. It should be the consistency of soft serve ice cream.  Transfer to an airtight plastic container and freeze until firm.

Makes 1 quart.

For this fantastic recipe a special thanks to:  http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2010/02/01/honeybell-sherbet/#ixzz1ASMf6Plf