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Citrus encompasses a wide range of fruit, from the popular oranges known for their juice or eating out of hand, to lemons and limes used in all sorts of culinary recipes. But one citrus fruit, the grapefruit, has received much attention due to its many health benefits. Modern grapefruit are sweeter and less acidic than their ancestors. Be it the red grapefruit, white grapefruit or yellow grapefruit variety, they are all delicious and healthy in their own right. If you are asking which grapefruit is sweeter, the typical answer you would get is the Texas ruby red grapefruit, but there…

A thin skin makes Honeybells easy to peel, but also makes them far more delicate in the field. We cradle each individual Honeybell by hand and pick them by clipping the stem. This method is slower, but we do it to ensure that your Honeybells always arrive in perfect condition. Honeybells are a cross between the richly flavored Dancy Tangerine, and the honey-sweet Duncan Grapefruit. The result is a 3-inch delight that is bell-shaped, easy to peel, has very few seeds, and a treasured taste. These bright orange, ripe Honeybells in our groves have a very short season. They are…

Not all oranges are created equal. Some are sweeter than the others, some are bigger, some more tart than sweet, some juicier, some are seedless and some more appetizing than other varieties. This is true when comparing the two most popular winter citrus oranges – the premium Honeybell orange and the sweet Navel orange – both are outstanding but each has its own charm. So what really sets apart one from the other? Origin Honeybell fruit is not really an orange although a lot of people mistake it for one. Honeybells are tangelos or a citrus fruit hybrid of tangerine…

Genus citrus from the flowering family Rutaceae is one of the few taxonomic groups where mutation is a common thing. Genetically mutated fruit or bud sports appear and show characteristics that are different compared to the rest of the tree. The same is true for Cara Cara Oranges – a hybrid mutation between the Washington and Brazilian Bahia navel oranges. It was discovered in 1976 at Hacienda Cara Cara in Venezuela growing on a Washington Navel Orange tree. Similarities Before we talk about their differences let us first discuss the similarities between the sweet navel orange and Cara Cara oranges.…

When people receive honeybell oranges as a gift they immediately feel special. Why? It is because honeybells are considered rare, premium, and elite fruits in the citrus family. Honeybells are sweet winter citrus fruits with somewhat dimpled, red-orange skin that is easy to peel. They have an identifiable long stem-end neck that makes the fruit appear bell like, hence the name. They are typically the size of an adult hand, about 3 and 3 ½ inches in diameter, but weigh half a pound or so. Compared to other fruits they contain more juice than pulp, so just one medium-sized honeybell…

After recently seeing the movie “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure,” I was reminded of how lucky I have been to grow up in a large family with whom to learn, share stories, and celebrate holidays. Of the many holidays my family and I celebrate together, the grandest and most memorable is always Christmas. Our entire clan comes together each year at this time for a week of fun, feasting, and to share our blessings. The grownups prepare food and decorate the house inside and out. The teenagers wrap gifts and help with cooking and decorating the tree. And the little kids play…

Some people’s faces still cringe and scrunch up because they find grapefruit bitter and too acidic for their liking, but everyone knows that the numerous Texas grapefruit varieties (white grapefruit, pink grapefruit and red grapefruit) are packed with vitamins and minerals that help the body fight off diseases. The Grapefruit is a superfruit with numerous health benefits including: decrease risk of developing kidney stones, boost metabolism and promote weight loss, fight gum disease, lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk, stimulate the immune system and help control blood sugar levels. These health benefits are brought on by the nutrients found…

If you are a fruit lover, then it is likely that you have had your share of the sweet, tangy, refreshingly bitter, juicy grapefruit. They are often available year round but the best ones (specifically the Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit) are available from December until February. The combination of flavor, convenience, wide range of seasonal availability, and a reported nutritional value has caused the grapefruit to become one of the most popular citrus varieties available. Since the health benefits of grapefruit are so often discussed on television shows, cooking channels, and in various cook books and recipes, many may ask…

Our love of farming and dedication to the land that supports it, not only preserves open space filled with plant life, but helps us harvest remarkable crops like these Ruby Red Grapefruit. Well before fruit appears, we spend long days pruning trees, giving them proper nutrition, and efficiently delivering their life-giving water. When the grove is decorated with bright, healthy citrus, we know all of our work is well worth it. When we see the faint red blush, perfect roundness, and ample sizes that indicate an ideal balance of sweetness and pleasing acidity, we know the Ruby Red Grapefruits are…

When I was a kid my mom always told me to eat grapefruits other citrus fruits and vegetables so I would grow healthy and strong. Back then I believed my mom so I gladly ate sweet oranges and grapefruit not only because I was told they were good for me, but because I loved the taste. Now that I have grown older (and hopefully wiser) I value the lessons I learned as a child. But now I do my own research and seek expert opinions when it comes to health and nutrition. So when I wanted to learn more about…