When the peaches, plums and nectarines of summer are naught but faded memories, and the apples and persimmons of autumn have outstayed their welcome, southern California offers up an abundance of citrus fruits to chase away the winter blues.  While citrus fruits may not have the glamour of a fragrant pluot dripping with sweetness, or the satisfying crunch of a Pink Lady or Gala, they do pack a powerful punch of vitamin C.  Deep in the heart of cold season, citrus fruit may be just what the body needs.

I began my exploration of San Diego citrus at my neighborhood Whole Foods Market.  Of the large number of varieties available, I decided to test the seven locally grown organic options.  I arrived in the check out line with one each of, Lemon, Lime, Meyer Lemon, Fremont Mandarin Tangerine, Satsuma Tangerine, Oroblanco Grapefruit, and Cocktail Grapefruit.  Since most of the locally grown fruits do not come with product stickers affixed to their skin, the girl at the check out counter had a difficult time ringing me up.  I told her that each item was organic and grown locally, and did my best to remember the names of each.  Even with that information she still had trouble.  Later, while scanning my receipt at home, I realized she had charged me the lesser fee associated with conventional fruit on several items.  Good for me, not so good for Whole Foods.

While the standard lemon and lime are available year round in San Diego, it had been well over a year since I last inhaled the heavenly aroma of Meyer lemon.  A cross between a standard lemon and a sweet orange, Meyers are sweeter and less acidic than regular grocery store lemons.  They are a common ornamental plant both in California, and their native China, reaching a manageable 6-10 feet in maturity, and I was lucky enough to make a friend with a productive bush in her back yard.  Unfortunately I lost my Meyer lemon connection when I changed jobs this past year, so I was pleased to discover a new local source at my number one store.  An excellent article printed last year in the L.A. times offers 100 ways to use a Meyer lemon.

New to me were both the Cocktail Grapefruit and the Oroblanco.  The cocktail grapefruit is actually a cross between a Frua Mandarin orange and a Pummelo.  It was much sweeter than the typical white or pink grapefruit, and was so juicy that it fell apart when I tried to peel it.  Based on my singular experience, it struck me as a fruit better suited to juicing than eating out of hand, but the one I tried may just have been overripe.  Oroblancos are a cross between a Pummelo and a white grapefruit.  I was a little put off by their tough green exterior, and thus selected one with a lighter, more yellow skin.  I later learned that the green tint was neither a cause for concern or a sign of underripe fruit.  As pealed my Oroblanco I was surprised by the nearly half-inch thick rind.  The fruit inside had light colored flesh, and while almost as sweet as the cocktail grapefruit, it retained a more pleasant, firmer texture.  Of the two I preferred the Oroblanco, though neither holds a candle to the mouthwatering tartness of a regular grapefruit.

I had expected the Fremont Mandarin Tangerine and Satsuma Tangerine to have drastically different flavors since they were so different visually.  I was disappointed to discover that once peeled, the biggest difference between the deep orange, perfectly round Fremont, and the bright orange, squatty Satsuma, was the presence or absence of seeds.  Both were similarly sweet and slightly watery, and in a blind taste test, were found to be nearly indistinguishable in flavor.  Satsumas are considered their own variety of mandarin, while Fremonts are a hybrid of a clementine and a Ponkan madarin.

As with most citrus fruit, lemons, limes, grapefruit and tangerines will all keep best in a fruit cellar or a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Left on the counter they may last up to a week, but will keep for two or more weeks in a colder environment.