Oranges.

[GROWLER]

I luv a luvley juicy tangy orange.

I always buy one from 'me shop' attached to 'me garage' by 'me 'ill when I go up there 'cus thet always sell nice ones. .
Bought one yesterday for me BIG hillock climb, but never ate it.
Eating it now, and I must say that on this ocassion it is actually shite.

So, just how can you tell if a orange is going to be juicy sweet and tangy, or all gumy and watery like this one, you know, without actually peeling it and eating it?
It's not like apples, were you know what you're getting, is it?

[Darwins Selection]

You can tell by squeezing them.

Or is that breast milk?

[GROWLER]

You can tell by squeezing them.

Or is that breast milk?

What happens when you squeeze them then...the orange that is, not the breasts, which always results in a swift slap in my limited experiences of such matters?

[Darwins Selection]

You can tell by squeezing them.

Or is that breast milk?

What happens when you squeeze them then...the orange that is, not the breasts, which always results in a swift slap in my limited experiences of such matters?

If it is at all soft, it has started to dry out I think.

Mrs DS (#3) is responsible for the procurement of fruit, I simply eat it.

Oranges she buys are always hard and thick-skinned, although that may be just because she identifies with them.

[GROWLER]

This one was hard though. 
It was all chewy. Quite juicy, but not tangy juicy, just all sort of  ...wet and not very tasty.
Most disappointed I was.

Wish pineapples were a bit more user friendly.
Can't exactly lob one of them in me The Asda bag over me shoulder to scoff at the top on 'me ill' can I?
I absolutely LUUUURVE pineapples i do.

[Snoopy]

The Bare Necessities [Jungle Book]

[Miss Demeanour]

1
Look at the oranges. Choose oranges that are brightly colored. The most common type of oranges available at most grocery stores are the Navel and Valencia varieties. Navel oranges are typically a bright, solid orange color when they are ripe. Valencia oranges can sometimes have a greenish hue to them as they reabsorb chlorophyll during warmer months while they are still hanging on the tree. They are still ripe and good to buy as well.

2
Hold the oranges in your hand to check the weight. The best oranges should feel heavy for their size. Heaviness indicates the amount of juice in the orange.

3
Avoid oranges that have any cuts and bruises. Feel for any soft spots. This is a sign that oranges are starting to get moldy. Oranges should be firm to the touch.


 

[Snoopy]

  Navel gazing eh .............

[Miss Demeanour]

 

Becoming an ever more increasing past time though 

[Snoopy]

Tell you what annoys me about oranges ~ and this may be a feature of shopping in North Wales ~ you just can't buy large quantities of big oranges (Sevilles for example) cheaply in order to make marmalade or fresh orange juice at home.

Every street market in France/Holland/Germany has stalls selling them by the kilo or 2 kilo net full and we certainly used to be able to find them in London/Home Counties but oop north the greengrocers look at me as if I am mad when I ask for them.

Never really seen them like this north of Luton except as "singles" at hooooge cost.


Time to move back Sarf I feel .... or put the orange squeezer on ebay. 

[Miss Demeanour]

Do you not have local markets then Snoops ? But yes you can bag big bags of them and normally get another free 

[Snoopy]

Do you not have local markets then Snoops ? But yes you can bag big bags of them and normally get another free 

Been searching for a decent market in North Wales for the last ten years .... there aren't any worth the name. 

Another thing you can't buy here is fresh fish .... which is odd since we live next to the sea.

All our Fruit and Fish have to come from supermarkets..... except trout which I catch, gut and cook for myself. I have pulled the odd flounder out of the estuary but they are few and far between.

Even shell fish are not local unless I go down to the beach and help myself to Razor Clams .... which the locals think is odd.
The Dee Estuary, which I can see from the bedroom windows, has a number of "Cocklers" licensed to work it but all their catch goes abroad. I am told that there is no local custom for them. 

[Just One More]

So sad Snoopy, we have the likes of Sainsburys and Tescos to thank of course.
I was after gurnard the other week for a recipe so thought I'd see on the web where there were any fishmongers remaining in the county. IIRC, there were 16 in the whole county  and 9 of them were in Portsmouth, all owned by the same family it turned out. I fear it's only a matter of time before they disappear too

[Snoopy]

'Bout the only place (Plaice) I know where one can still get fish fresh from the boat is Brixham or Freshwater (IoW). Very little sold in Bridport nowadays (West Bay actually) unless you can "do a deal" on the harbour side as a boat comes in. Even where there are fish being landed in the UK it mostly goes straight to factories. According to ex-fishermen this is all due to EU regulations. However visit Boulogne and they sell it all on the quayside. Straight off the boats and onto the stalls set up by the fishermen's wives.

Lovely stuff. What doesn't get sold there is in the Auchan hypermarket by the afternoon .... often still flapping on the crushed ice........ Now ~ aren't the French also in the EU? 

[GROWLER]

I'm NOT taking disgusting fish up 'me 'ill' or anywhere else, I can absolutely assure you.