Sunkist Oranges

This little pamphlet caught my eye last night, from its place on the shelf, peeking out from the other side of the ironing board.

The neat, clean, orange and white graphics on the cover are appealing to me. I like how everything is arranged in the tidy little cubbyholes. It's a funny thing about the color orange and how I feel about it. It's my father's favorite color and given the choice, he would always choose the orange version of anything--shirts, furniture upholstery, flowers, wallpaper, paint--you name it. It's kind of a family joke, how he always chooses that color, no matter how loud the shade, over all the others. Growing up, we frequently had orange when orange wasn't cool.

Orange was never my favorite color, but I've noticed lately that it seems to be growing on me. These days, my eye is repeatedly drawn to orange things in the stores, magazines and in advertisements. I even found myself buying an orange flowering plant the other day.

A lot of the old recipe booklets from Sunkist feature lemons. This one is strictly oranges only. 12 Great Fresh Orange Recipes from Sunkist (1978, 8 pages) is a foldout pamphlet and has some really simple recipes inside. It also tells us a little about two types of Sunkist Oranges:

Your market carries Sunkist oranges every month of the year. Navel oranges, usually seedless, have the characteristic navel formation opposite the stem end and are available from November to May. Valencia oranges, with slightly thinner skins and few seeds, are in the market February through October.

If you've ever wondered about Valencia oranges when they look "greenish" in color, be assured they are fully ripe. Valencias, because they are ripening in the warm summer months, are subject to a phenomenon known as "regreening." The oranges turn golden before they are fully ripe. As the weather gets warmer and they hang on the tree to ripen they actually begin to turn green again, starting at the stem end. Regardless of the outside color, oranges are never picked until fully ripe.

GREEN 'N GOLD CHICKEN SALAD WITH ORANGE POPPY SEED DRESSING

6 to 8 cups assorted salad greens (iceberg, romaine, Bibb)
1-1/2 to 2 cups cooked chicken, cut in strips
3 to 4 Sunkist oranges, peeled, sliced in half-cartwheels
3 to 4 hard-cooked eggs, cut in wedges
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup diagonally sliced celery
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

ORANGE POPPY SEED DRESSING

2/3 cup salad oil
2 tsp. fresh grated orange peel
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
3 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. poppy seed
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. salt

In jar with lid, combine all ingredients; chill. Shake well before using. Makes about 1 cup.


FRESH CITRUS SLAW

3 Sunkist oranges, peeled, cut in bite-size pieces
1 medium head cabbage (about 1-1/2 pounds) cut in long thin shreds
2 tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine oranges, cabbage and onion. In small bowl, blend mayonnaise, lemon juice and salt. Stir into cabbage mixture; chill. Makes 8 to 10 servings (about 8 cups)

Variations: Add any one of the following:

1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup salted peanuts
2 tbsp. chopped pimiento