Oranges

Anyone remember the Cranford ladies taking their oranges to eat in the privacy of the bedroom?

Or... naked in the sink Jingle

Any one see Mary Berry making fruit salad the other evening? She peeled off the skin and inner membrane with a knife, then hooked out the segments into a bowl. I've done this for years but never seen anyone else doing oranges this way. It's rather messy but such a treat - no chewy bits.

I adore oranges (are they the only fruit?) always have. The trouble is I can't stop at one. I tend to peel, segment and suck.

Or... a juicy mango - done that a few times

or a chocolate orange?

Or a big very juicy peach ...

The safest place to eat a juicy orange is in the bath. Just think - soft music, candles, lots of scented foam... and an orange!

Cut oranges always remind me of school netball matches!

That's interesting, marelli! Must remember that.

My mum used to halve oranges for us and cut about a third of the peel off each half so we could suck the juice out. We always had to eat them in the garden. Can't think why !

I peel them and eat them in segments. A sour orange can be sweetened by sprinkling a wee bit of salt over it.

My Dad used to let us do that too MrsJamJam - it was a real treat!

Very special treat at my Grandma's was to have a whole orange with a square cut out of the top into which she pushed a sugar lump, we were then allowed to sit in the garden sucking all the juice from the orange through the sugar cube. Felt soooo wicked!

I like the little easy peelers. Could eat loads of those.

Segments in public, cut and slurp when alone. One has to maintain some standards.

I peel them and eat them segment by segment.

When I was young my mother used to cut them in half and sprinkle just a little sugar on them, I then used to dig my teeth in and slurp! Then turn the halves inside out to get the very last of it. I suppose they hadn't been available for a long time then.
Best done alone if I tried it now I think, perhaps OK if you're 7 or 8.

I went off oranges too because they were always so sour.
I think they're sweeter now - don't know if this is because growers are using different varieties, or they are using different ripening techniques.

That method should only be employed when you are alone.

Sometimes I squeeze the juice out and drink. Then cut the two halves of peel in half to make quarters, and gnaw the remaining fibrous bits off. This is a good plan if they are a bit sharp.

At the moment I am on tangerines, which are mostly sweet and juicy, and easy to peel.