# Blood Oranges: Know What They Are? Ever Tasted One? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235 "2013-09-07T06:55:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/21 "2013-09-07T14:23:45Z")
They’re seasonally available here in the Midwest. Their relative unpopularity is most likely because they’re hard to peel, and are mostly used for juicing and fruit salads (you cut them in half and remove the sections like a grapefruit). They taste about the same as a regular orange. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/22 "2013-09-07T14:35:49Z")
In my neck of the midwestern United States supermarkets will sometimes carry them for a brief season. They’re expensive and often not ripe, unfortunately. Once I got a really good one that tasted just like a red Sweet Tart. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/23 "2013-09-07T14:39:17Z")
ISTR that to get the anthocyanins to develop, they need cool nights and warm days, and this isn’t as common in the US citrus growing regions (i.e. only CA has it, not FL or S. TX) as it is in the European ones. As a result, blood oranges are still more of a seasonal curiosity than a staple. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/24 "2013-09-07T14:42:01Z")
They are in the supermarkets here (near Washington DC) about six months of the year. Often though, the ones we get are mealy or very pale in color (Cara Cara, the navel of blood oranges). When they are good, they are one of Celtling’s favorite fruits. I’d rather have a tangelo myself. ETA: a good guide on orange types: [A Buyers' Guide To Orange Varieties | HuffPost Life](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/orange-varieties_n_1190194.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/25 "2013-09-07T15:51:07Z")
I always put them in fruit salad to make it look more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/26 "2013-09-07T16:24:36Z")
They’re available seasonally here. I had blood orange mimosas on my birthday in July. I like the flavor - a bit milder and sweeter than regular navals, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/27 "2013-09-07T16:25:51Z")
A few years ago, in New Orleans, we used blood oranges in when we made a large bowl of zombies (the drink). We thought it appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/28 "2013-09-07T16:27:57Z")
I’ve enjoyed the few I’ve had…they’re a little sweeter than regular oranges and the color is dramatic. But the juice stains (which I’ve never had happen with regular orange juice). ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/29 "2013-09-07T17:56:49Z")
I just made some of my own, using clementines and … ooh … feeling faint … ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/30 "2013-09-07T17:59:41Z")
I grow several varieties of blood oranges. Here’s a photo of my Sanguinellis: [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/3082/2383014712_c80b7173ab_z.jpg "Oranges\_cut") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11822576@N08/2383014712/lightbox/) ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/31 "2013-09-08T00:05:17Z")
I’ve had them and I think they’re fab. They show up in regular supermarkets sometimes here. Seasonally, I guess. Can’t honestly remember, but I thought they were a bit more tart than other oranges. Maybe just the ones I had. I love really good tart orangey oranges, but they suck when they’re too sweet and it’s always disappointing to peel an orange and have it be bland and nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/32 "2013-09-08T00:10:31Z")
When they’re in season I buy them by the case from Fresh Direct. They come 30-40 per case, and I probably eat two or three a day. I really, really love blood oranges. ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/33 "2013-09-08T12:57:11Z")
I have a tree in my back yard, but we just planted it last year, so haven’t gotten any oranges off it yet… Luckily, the other 8 kinds of citrus trees in the yard keep us quite happy for now… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/34 "2013-09-08T13:12:24Z")
I get them when they are in season and love them. Chobani make a blood orange yogurt and it is great too. ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/35 "2013-09-08T13:22:02Z")
I have a blood orange tree in the front yard. My neighbor has a regular orange tree, so we share. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/36 "2013-09-08T21:14:23Z")
Love them. No idea where I first heard of them; my first experience was a bottle of juice I bought in Newcastle. I’ve seen them in the store here in CT a few times, and I buy the Chobani blood-orange yogurt frequently. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/37 "2013-09-08T21:16:49Z")
We freaking LOVE blood oranges. World Market carries a blood orange soda that is quite good. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/38 "2013-09-08T21:30:13Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > I buy the Chobani blood-orange yogurt frequently. That is the only way I have ever tasted them. It is only chopped up bits but it seems to get the point across in terms of taste. I don’t love them or hate them. I feel the same way about Florida oranges or regular orange juice in general. Blood oranges taste more exotic but seem to be on par with those. Decent tasting but too sweet. I am more of a Clementine and tangerine fan. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/39 "2013-09-08T21:59:24Z")
I generally do not like oranges, but I do like blood oranges. When I lived in the Japan, the Sunkus store near my house sold blood orange and dark chocolate candy. I loved it. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/40 "2013-09-08T22:26:07Z")
I love them and prefer them to regular oranges. I don’t see them often here in MA but when I do, I buy them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235.md?page=3)