Exploring the vast world of citrus is the easiest way to add a little brightness to these cold months. After all, if you stick to the same old oranges and clementines all winter, the season is going to feel a whole lot longer and drearier than it should.
Here are some options to consider next time you're at the store:
Buddha's Hand
This citrus easily wins the prize for most bizarre looking. The finger-link fruit has a complex lemon aroma and actually contains no pulp or juice—it's made up of strictly a yellow rind and white pith. The rind can be used in any place lemon zest is called for while the pith, which is sweeter and less bitter than other citrus pith, can also be used—try thinly slicing the fingers and adding them to salads.
Pink Eureka Lemon
With a rosy inside and a pale green striped outside, this is one looker of a lemon. Also called the variegated pink-fleshed lemon, it tastes similar to a regular lemon but is a little less acidic. Since this variety tends to be pricy, show it off in a salad or on top of a lemony dessert.
Minneola Tangelo
A cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit, this citrus is characterized by its slight bell-shape and a small bump where the stem attached to the fruit. Tangelos tend to be easy to peel and super sweet with a tart finish. Use them in place of oranges or tangerines in any recipe.
Cara Cara Orange
From the outside, it looks just like your average orange. Cut into one, though, and you're greeted by pretty pinkish-orange flesh. It's slightly sweeter and less acidic than a regular orange and has a very delicate berry flavor. Use this variety in place of oranges in any recipe or add them to a citrus salad for a little extra color and brightness.
Sunburst Tangerine
A relative of the orange, all tangerines generally tend to be thin-skinned and a bit flatter and smaller in shape. This particular variety is sweet and packed with flavor. It's perfect in a twist on crème brûlée or segmented and added to a couscous salad.
Moro Orange
One of the three most common varieties on blood oranges, this is the one you'll most likely find at grocery stores. It's the most colorful, with the deepest red flesh and an orange rind that's also often flecked with red. Blood oranges tend to be a little more bitter than regular oranges but also less acidic. They also tend to have a hint of red fruit flavor, reminiscent of cranberries and raspberries. They make for one stunner of an upside-down cake and add striking color to salads.
Meyer Lemon
This lemon-orange hybrid is currently the darling of the citrus world. Its rind is a vibrant, deep yellow and has a strongly perfumed, almost herbal aroma. Its flesh is darker in color than a regular lemon and more sweet than tart, which means you can actually adding segments raw to a salad or salsa. Use a few in lemon bars, turn some into marmalade, or try preserving them.
Ugli Fruit
A Jamaican version of a tangelo, this wrinkled yellow and green-skinned citrus can be as large as a grapefruit. The pulp can range from yellow to orange and tastes quite similar to a regular orange, if not a little more sour. The skin around the segments tends to be a bit thick though, so you might want to remove it before snacking. Try tossing the fruit into your next smoothie.
Kumquats
With these tiny citrus fruits, you can actually eat skin and all. About the size of large olives, they tend to be extra sweet on the outside and quite tart on the inside. You can slice them thin and toss them in a salad, muddle them in a cocktail, candy them, or even cook them down into a sweet and spicy chutney.
Pink Grapefruit
Just because it's the most classic of grapefruits, doesn't mean it should be overlooked. Available pretty much everywhere, pink grapefruits are the easiest way to get some variety in your citrus routine. Turn them into dessert, make a sweet and spicy sauce, or use the juice in cocktails. Oh, and also brûlée them.
White Grapefruit
If you're someone who finds pink grapefruits too tart, you may want to stay away from its paler sibling. For the rest of us, white grapefruits can be more delicious—they're more tart, less sweet, and altogether more balanced. Try them in savory uses, like alongside white beets or in a spinach salad.
Pomelo
Often the size of bowling balls, pomelos can look intimidating but they are far from it. They're related to grapefruits but are a citrus all their own. The rind can range in color from yellow to green and the pulp can be white, pink, or somewhere in-between. The pith is very thick so it's best to cut away as much of the rind and pith as you can first before peeling away at its segments. And how to does it taste? Think of a pomelo like a mild grapefruit—sweet and without the usual bitterness.
Cocktail Grapefruit
Also referred to as a mandelo, it's actually not a grapefruit at all. Instead, it's a cross between a mandarin and a pomelo. It's flesh is bright yellow and it's extra juicy. Its flavor is sweet and just a little bit tart, making it a worthy replacement for your morning grapefruit half.
