# 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:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/41 "2013-09-08T22:28:00Z")
I can’t always find them (I’m in western Washington), but I do prefer blood oranges to normal oranges at least as much as I prefer red grapefruit to white. There’s just more interesting flavor going on. ---
**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 9, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/42 "2013-09-09T01:25:26Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > We freaking LOVE blood oranges. World Market carries a blood orange soda that is quite good. Oh - and a couple stores around here have been carrying the Sanpellegrino blood orange soda recently. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/43 "2013-09-09T05:52:28Z")
I like blood oranges every now and then. They make a beautiful, and tasty, curd. (And incidentally, if your plasma resembles a blood orange you’ve either got a hemolytic problem or a really bad phlebotomist. :)) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/44 "2013-09-09T06:30:03Z")
Back when I lived in NYC, I used to buy them, along with squid-ink pasta, at Balducci’s. In Cleveland, I’ve seen them at the West Side Market. They’re tasty, but not worth the higher price. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/45 "2013-09-09T13:25:46Z")
They’re not bad and I really like blood orange soda. I first saw them on a visit to Italy a couple of years ago - one girl got a glass of blood orange juice every morning and it seriously looked like she was drinking a big glass of blood - but I’ve found them at our local Super Target a few times since. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/46 "2013-09-10T08:26:40Z")
[Blood orange and fennel salad](http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/911) is a classic dish. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/47 "2013-09-10T10:28:04Z")
They’re a family favorite for any dish that calls for orange juice; you get a slightly-different dish while following exactly the usual steps. Strawberries in OJ, sponge cake with an orangey twist, stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/48 "2013-09-11T18:36:43Z")
They used to sell the juice in Scotland, but called it Ruby Orange to avoid scaring people. It went well in a glass bottle with vodka, to swig at goth parties & try to scare people 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/49 "2013-09-11T19:03:10Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > Can’t honestly remember, but I thought they were a bit more tart than other oranges. That’s been my experience, too; sometimes they’re so tart they’re more like a lemon. I wonder if the ones we get in Western NC are a different variety, or maybe they’re just not ripe when we get them? I love how they look, but I’m not very fond of the flavor. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235/50 "2013-09-11T19:35:01Z")
I love them but I haven’t seen them in stores for a few years. They taste slightly of raspberries to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-oranges-know-what-they-are-ever-tasted-one/668235.md?page=2)