Are you tired of the same old cantaloupes and honeydews? For melon lovers looking for something a little different, a canary melon may be just the thing. It is a large and brightly colored oval-shaped melon that is often slightly larger than cantaloupes or honeydew melons. This variety is grown by Itaueira farms in Northeastern Brazil with a growing season starting in November and continuing through the winter months. The melon is characterized by a bright yellow outer skin. The interior is usually a green that is slightly paler than honeydew, and in some cases, it may appear to be almost white with just a hint of green. With a light, pleasing aroma, the canary is very juicy and has a tendency to enhance the taste of other fruits when mixed into fruit salads.

Since 1983, Itaueira Farms has been focused on growing top-quality fruits. The company, which is owned and operated by the Carlos Prado and his family, sells melons year round in Brazil and exports product to the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Along with earning consumer confidence in the flavor and quality of its melons, Itaueira also strives to earn the trust of its customers with regard to food safety, according to Rodrigo Lima of Crown International USA LLC, which markets the melons in the United States for Itaueira Farms. Mr. Lima says that “REI” canary melons have traceability on the box level and will soon have traceability on the item level: “We have been experimenting with stickering each piece of fruit with bar codes that are fully traceable, and we have seen great success with that in Brazil. We plan to begin testing that here in the U.S.”

What to look for in Canary Melons

When choosing a good quality canary melon, consumers should make sure the body of the melon is firm. The presence of any soft spots along the body is an indication that the melon has passed its prime, but it should be slightly soft around the stem area. If the stem area is still firm, then the melon is not yet ripe enough to be eaten.

Along with the general firmness of the melon, shoppers should play close attention to the color of the rind or skin. A ripe canary melon will be bright yellow with few or no blemishes. Shoppers must be sure to check closely for hints of green on the skin, which will indicate that the melon was picked early and will need to ripen before it will be ready to eat. The sweet flavor will not be fully developed until the ripening is complete, so there is no point in choosing a green melon if it will be chilled and served the same day.

Foodie Facts & Tips

• As with most melons, the canary melon is packed with vitamins including A & C—a sweet snack that’s actually good for you!
• Each box displays a Field harvest code number, which can be traced to the origin of each melon crop.
• Try wrapping canary melons with salty prosciutto for a complementary flavor duo.

Honeybell oranges are exceptionally sweet and juicy citrus fruits which only reach peak ripeness during the month of January. Also known as Minneola tangelos, Honeybell oranges are not actually oranges at all. Similar to Jamaican Ugli fruit, they are a hybrid or cross between the Darcy variety of tangerine and either the Duncan or Bowen variety of grapefruit. This hybridization process, which some sources say can be traced back to the ancient Orient, yields a tangelo with the coloring and size of a grapefruit and the sweetness and juiciness of a tangerine. Honeybell oranges are prized for their sweetness and relative scarcity, along with their abundant supply of juice.

Many customers order Honeybell oranges months in advance of their actual due date in January. A few strains may be ready to ship in late December, but the majority of the Honeybell crop reaches maximum ripeness during the last weeks of January, or possibly early February. Virtually all Honeybell orange trees in the United States grow along the Indian River in Florida, and the crop yield is often regarded as unpredictable from year to year. Growers take orders for the oranges throughout the year, but can only harvest the crop during January and February. Great care must be taken while harvesting Honeybell oranges in order to avoid damaging the distinctively bell-shaped stem end of the fruit, which actually inspired the name for the fruit itself.

Moro oranges, commonly known as “Blood Oranges,” are available from January through mid April. Moros are small to medium sized with a thin skin and few or no seeds. Slice open a Moro and you’ll see how they get their name: the cross sections are a dramatic and beautiful bright red to deep maroon color. Take a bite and you’ll become a fan of the intense orange taste with hints of fresh raspberry.

Juicy Fact
All oranges contain carotene — that’s what makes them orange. Moros get their red color from high concentrations of a pigment called anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes the effects of free radicals, which are the agents believed to be responsible for cancer, aging and other health ailments.

Moro Orange Tips

• Enjoy Moros out of hand, use them for an interesting juice or showcase their jewel-like color in recipes.
• Toss slices or segments into salads, salsas and chutneys.
• The intense flavor of Moro oranges is wonderful with roasted or grilled meat and poultry.
• Melt a couple of tablespoons of orange marmalade in the microwave and tumble in one peeled, diced Moro orange for a quick and exotic sauce.

A lot of people understand that fresh oranges are best in the winter, but not many people understand that different varieties have particular seasons. You’ll have better luck coming home with good oranges if you learn which varieties are in season when—and keep a simple guideline in mind when you’re selecting them at the market. Oranges and all citrus fruit should be heavy in the hand for its size. This simple test is your most reliable guide for citrus fruit.

California navel oranges are considered by many to be the best oranges in the world for eating out of hand. They have a meaty flesh, their thick rinds are easy to peel, the segments separate easily, and they don’t have any seeds. All navel oranges have a navel at the blossom end—an opening with a convoluted interior that looks like a “belly button.” Some have a very small navel; others have a larger one. If you’re in doubt, inspect several in the bin. A quick poll will identify the variety. Originally planted in the 1930s on Sky Valley Ranch, Heirloom Navel Oranges gave California its reputation for having the best tasting citrus in the world. This rare variety gets its unique flavor from the perfect combination of climate, soil, sunshine, and special root stock. A true heirloom fruit, they taste like no other oranges on the market.

California navel oranges usually arrive around the second week of November and go through late spring. The earliest ones have less orange color and less sweetness. In February, March, and April, the peak months, California navels become very sweet. As summer approaches, look to other fruit varieties for the best quality.

Florida vs. California: What’s the difference?

While more commonly known, it’s not always safe to assume that a Florida orange is a Valencia juice orange and a California orange is a navel. Florida also grows navel oranges, which are on the market between late fall and the end of January. The Florida navel doesn’t have as much color as the California variety. They come in all sizes – from tennis-ball to softball size. The rind will be bronze to light orange, with a richer orange color later in the season. Florida navels are, of course, seedless, but they have a higher juice content and a thinner rind that’s not as easy to peel as that of the California navel.

Selecting Oranges

Whatever the variety, look for oranges that are shiny and heavy in the hand. It’s a primary rule for a number of fruits, but it’s especially important for oranges. Check the scent – the orange should smell good. Except for Robinson tangerines, the rind should never feel puffy—that is, it shouldn’t feel like there’s any space between it and the flesh. There should be no spotting, no signs of shriveling, no white patches on the rind, and no fermented smell.

Storing Oranges

Tangerines are the most perishable of the oranges. They will keep a day or two at room temperature and up to a week in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Other oranges can be kept out at room temperature for three or four days with little problem. Refrigerate them in a plastic bag or in the crisper drawer, and they’ll keep well for one to two weeks.