I am generally not a fad follower. Not that I'm immune by any means, but if I can help it, I like to hang back and see if it pans out for everyone else before I jump on board. So a month or so ago when I started seeing ads and signs at the store for cara cara oranges, I thought, "Yeah, whatever, it's just another orange."
Our local food co-op has this program where kids can pick out an apple, orange, or banana every time they come in. My son went a couple weeks ago with my mom and came back with his pick--a regular-looking navel orange that, when cut into, was pink-fleshed and tangy and juicy and delicious. And it had no seeds! We checked the receipt and it said, surprise surprise, cara cara.
Then I went to Costco for produce and lo and behold, they had eight-pound bags of cara cara oranges, so into my cart they went. We must have eaten half the bag in the first two hours after getting home. We all hunched over the sink, juice dripping down our chins, eating wedge after wedge, only stopping to cut another one.
Days later, now on bag number two of cara caras, the frenzy slowed and I began to look for new ways to enjoy the oranges that didn't end with washing my face. Even though it's the middle of winter, it's my opinion that anytime is a good time to eat a frozen dessert, so I decided on this granita. Let me add, I had never made a granita before and it was just as easy and foolproof as it seems.
No cara cara oranges where you live? Stick with regular navel oranges and taste the juice mixture before you freeze it, you may need to adjust the amount lemon juice and sugar. This is great served alone, but is extra delicious served creamsicle-style with a healthy dollop of vanilla bean whipped coconut cream.
Find printable recipe versions for
whipped coconut cream here and for the
orange granita here.
Are there any food fads (or non-food fads) that you've gotten on board with that you've absolutely loved? That haven't panned out?
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