Heirloom navel: Like the name suggests, this is the navel that made the citrus industry an industry in California. When squeezed and pressed, out flows the breakfast staple. The Valencia or Hamlin is not always pretty (battered, faded by the sun, scuffed by poor handling), but the flesh is what’s important. Juice/Sweet orange: This is the real workhorse citrus. Golden Nugget Mandarin: Smaller than the Murcott and classic Mandarin, but bursting with juice and sweetness.

Unlike much of the citrus listed here, clementine season is very short and typically peaks around the holidays, imparting the nickname “Christmas orange.” The juice is sweeter than many oranges and there is far less acid, making it one of the most popular snacking citrus fruits available. Chefs love this pink-fleshed navel orange for its sweet juice accented with an underlying zip (though with lower acidity than other navel oranges).Ĭlementine: The clementine is a cross between a mandarin and sweet orange, simple to peel and almost always seedless (as opposed to the seedy tangerine). It’s also the inspiration for a pretty stellar London-based singer-songwriter.Ĭara Cara: How many menus have we seen as of late featuring the cara cara? Many.

Because of its unique color, the blood orange is often incorporated into recipes, from cocktails to preserves. There are three types - Moro, Tarocco and Sanguinello - with a flavor that ranges from tart to semi-sweet depending on the type and season. Here’s what we found out about each of these 12 varieties.īlood orange: Crimson flesh bursting with staining juice is the trademark of this popular citrus. We hit the well-stocked Fairway in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood and bought everything in sight. Head to your local grocery store, particularly in late-winter, and you will find an abundance of tangerines, grapefruits, clementines and oranges. It also might be all this talk about spring training, the Grapefruit League and all. When we think about the transition from winter to spring, a time when the chafing March winds start to concede their fury and sunshine begins to stick around, we think about citrus. Get your hands on all these varieties while you still can.

Summer cuties mandarins