# The quality of oranges is...strained? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727 "2005-12-22T02:40:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/1 "2005-12-22T02:40:19Z")
This recipe was in the NYT today. Now, I’m a pretty accomplished cook, but for the life of me can’t figure out what they are talking about when they tell me to “strain the oranges”. It’s obvious that it doesn’t mean ‘strain’ them in the sense of forcing them through a sieve. Any clues, please? 4 large navel oranges 7 tablespoons orange blossom honey 9 ounces rice vinegar (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) 1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar 4½ teaspoons coriander seeds 1 tablespoon mustard seeds ¼ heaping teaspoon whole white peppercorns Fine salt to taste 1 stick cinnamon 1 whole clove. 1. Wash whole oranges, and pierce all over with fork. Soak in cold water for three days, changing the water every day. 2. **Strain oranges** and put them with remaining ingredients in heavy pan; simmer for 3 hours. 3. Remove pan from heat and let stand until oranges cool. **Do not peel**. Cut oranges into segments and serve as an accompaniment to red meats and poultry. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/2 "2005-12-22T02:43:29Z")
Make them watch a Keanu Reeves movie? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/3 "2005-12-22T02:43:58Z")
Seems to me they just want you dump the container you’re soaking the oranges into a strainer and let drain. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/4 "2005-12-22T02:45:10Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > Make them watch a Keanu Reeves movie? He said “strain”, not “torture”. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/5 "2005-12-22T02:48:30Z")
What Q.E.D. said. Drain 'em in a strainer. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/6 "2005-12-22T03:37:05Z")
Moved to Cafe Society, where they’re used to dealing with these things. Orange you glad I came along? **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/7 "2005-12-22T13:06:46Z")
Um, it might help if you told us what the name of this recipe is - I can’t quite suss what the end product is supposed to be… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/8 "2005-12-22T13:24:28Z")
Looks like some kind of pickled or otherwise preserved whole oranges; pretty sure ‘strain’ here actually means ‘drain’ - i.e. separate the intact solids from the liquid. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/9 "2005-12-22T14:47:42Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > Um, it might help if you told us what the name of this recipe is - I can’t quite suss what the end product is supposed to be… “Spicy Orange Segments.” The article says they are to be served with the meat course. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quality-of-oranges-is-strained/336727/10 "2005-12-22T15:54:29Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Seems to me they just want you dump the container you’re soaking the oranges into a strainer and let drain. :smack: :smack: :smack: The simplest answer is usually the right one. I envisioned twisting them or rolling them or putting them on a rack. Obviously, they meant to say “drain”.