This winter citrus brightens our taste buds all season long.
They’re almost boring. Predictably round, textured like a basketball and so obviously orange. And they’re everywhere—literally. Oranges are the second most-favorite fruit in the country. Orange juice is on everyone’s breakfast table, or brunch table if you have some bubbly wine. So why even talk about them? Well, imagine a world without oranges and the color that was named after them. That’s not a world we want to live in. The orange we know—a cross between a pomelo and a mandarin—has the explosive juiciness of one and the subtly acidic sweetness of the other, and there is simply nothing like it.
On the Menu
So many local restaurants use oranges in surprising ways. Here are a few faves:
Arlo Restaurant
Chef Milo Carrier makes a dish of summer squash with lion’s mane mushrooms in a lovely saffron beurre blanc with dandelion pesto and garnishes it with the surprise of sweet-tart candied orange. 271 N. Center St., SLC, 385-266-8845,
Current Fish & Seafood
The Caramelized Organic Salmon is first marinated in a soy and sake marinade, cooked to caramelize the exterior and served with green beans, boniato (a type of sweet potato) and an orange sauce tinged with tamarind. 279 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-326-3474,
Finca
The Spanish-influenced menu here naturally includes several dishes with oranges, a signature flavor of Spain. Ensalada naranjas—literally, orange salad, mixes M&M Farm arugula with orange segments and shaved fennel in Spanish olive oil. The cheesecake dessert (tarta de queso) is flavored with orange and cajeta caramel, sweetened caramel made with goat milk. 1513 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-532-3372,
Riverhorse on Main
The perennial favorite makes its Park City Old-fashioned with High West Double Rye, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, orange segments, Angostura bitters and Griotte cherries (a type of sour cherry). 540 Main St., Park City, 435-649-3536,
To Your Health
Oh, yeah. Oranges are good for you. They contain:
- 64% of your RDA ofvitamin C
- Phytochemicals like carotenoids
- Good amounts of B vitamins
- Lots of trace minerals, other vitamins and energy-providing carbs
- Even a tiny bit of protein
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