I love oranges.  Love em, love em, love em.  And by oranges, I am talking about navel oranges not valencia oranges.  Valencia oranges are sour, not sweet.  I like the sweet oranges.  Mmmmmmmmmmm

Did you know that after chocolate and vanilla, orange is the world’s favorite flavor?  Neither did I until I checked out site from Sunkist.

Growing up in the 60’s we didn’t have much fruit around the house other than what was in season.  In strawberry season we ate berries until they came out of our ears.  In peach season the same.  And apple season.  Good Great Caesars Ghost, it seemed like apple season never ended.  We had apples everywhere.  All different kinds.  You see, I lived in southwest Michigan, also knows as the fruit belt.

And as the various fruits came into season we were able to get vast quantities of said fruit.  And as much as I love apples, they were the worst.  I remember having apples all the way into the end of November.

So with all of that said and done, why do I like oranges so much?  I am sure that it has to do with scarcity.  Even though I am sure that we had them when my Mom grocery shopped,  I don’t remember them being around much.  Except around December.  My family used to buy a bushel of oranges from Florida.  Let me express how cool that was when I was a kid growing up.  There were always people going to Florida for vacation, or to visit, whatever…and they would buy oranges for friends and bring them back.

And they were FLORIDA oranges.  Huge.  Sweet.  And in a freaking box ole box!

And they weren’t apples.

So what brought this on?  Because early season Florida oranges are in the stores now!  Florida harvests from October through June.  They do not harvest in July, August, or September.  California orange season starts the first of November and runs through the early spring.

Did you know that an orange tree can grow to reach 30 feet and live for over a hundred years?

Anyway, I was shopping for produce and came across navels for $1 a piece.  Orange season is here, and I am one happy guy.