Left alone and nature can come up with some pretty amazing treats. The perfect example is the Florida orange. The tough skin of Florida oranges locks in their freshness for long periods of time. In fact, once an orange is picked, it stops to ripen. It’s also jam packed with all kinds of essential vitamins and nutrients. One Florida orange or glass of orange juice is going to provide your daily dose of Vitamin C. As a flavor, oranges turn up in ice cream, cakes, cookies and all sorts of other goodies but beyond eating Florida oranges did you know there are a bunch of other resourceful uses? You’ll be amazed at how versatile Florida oranges truly are.
As you dig into a juicy Florida orange the first thing you will typically toss in the garbage is the peels. Orange peels are very versatile and can be put to good use . You can recreate that fresh citrus smell anytime. Drop some orange peels into a simmering pot of water along with cinnamon sticks, lemon peels or anything else that tickles your fancy. . If you do a lot of baking with brown sugar you know how quickly that sugar can dry out and get hard. Not anymore when you drop some orange peels into the brown sugar bag. And if you’re into creating your own potpourri as gifts dried orange peels make a perfect addition!
Every active kitchen has a bottle of extra virgin olive oil standing by. You could kick up that oil by adding some Florida orange peel and dried cranberries. Let all that simmer together for a couple of weeks and the result will be an amazing, distinct flavor added to the oil. If you’re looking for creative ideas for holiday gifts you can pour this oil mixture into decorative bottles and wrap them with a bow. They look good and taste even better!
If you have a pet cat, he may not be as amazed by Florida Orange peels. For the most part, cats are turned away from any kind of citrus aroma. You can use that to save your houseplants from being nibbled on by kitty. Just put some Florida orange peel on the soil or rub the leaves with it and the cat will stay away.
Not only can Florida oranges keep the cat off the houseplants, but they can also keep the flies away. All you need to do is take a common cheese grater to an orange to release the fragrance. The aroma keeps those pesky flies away. You can move the orange wherever your food is or where you want to keep flies from.
Florida oranges also provide additional choices to cleaning products. If you cut a Florida orange in half then coat it with salt, you have a very effective scrubbing tool that is perfect for any type of marble counter top. Use your “orange device” to wipe down the marble then clean with a damp towel. You marble will sparkle and smell great.
And if you want to keep the neighbor’s cat from turning your backyard into their own litter box, try sprinkling around a mash up of orange peels and coffee grounds. Cats don’t like citrus and the smell will drive them back into the alley! When you considered all the benefits you can get from Florida oranges you might just be buying double the amount the next time you head to the grocery. At the very least, hang on to those peels!
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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.
