Griffith Part 2 - Red Belly Citrus

8.28.2013


Blood oranges must be one of winter's brightest highlights. Their crazy colour, intense flavour and all-round goodness makes them a favourite here chez Hansen. And since discovering the Mancini family's Red Belly Citrus farm in Griffith, we are keeping well stocked right through until the end of the season (in mid-November to early December). You can order boxes of Red Belly Citrus blood oranges via Farmhouse Direct.


Tim, Alice, Tommy and I visited Vito Mancini of Blood Orange citrus while in Griffith last weekend. The main reason to interview Vito for my book and I can tell you he was a very charming and impressive subject! So while I took photos and juggled camera and notebook, the kids ransacked his orchard and Tim juggled oranges. Thank you Vito for such a great afternoon, for your patience and time, and thank you also for your advice that the very best way to enjoy your fruit (other than fresh) is to dip segments in dark chocolate and enjoy cold from the fridge. I am nibbling on one such segment in between scentences and am decided that next time we have friends over for dinner this will be desert; so very easy and so so delicious (recipe, or rather instructions, below).


Since returning from Griffith on Sunday night we have been squeezing, quartering and preserving blood oranges like nobody's business and so far my favourite treatment has been the above blood orange marmalade (posted today over here on Village Voices). This red cabbage, fennel and blood orange salad by What Katie Ate is next on the list, and I'm also very keen to try this upside down blood orange cake.


Vito's blood oranges dipped in dark chocolate

1 blood orange
100g best dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 160C. Place orange in a saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes then remove orange and set aside to cool a little. Slice the top and bottom of your orange then slice in half from top to bottom. Slice into thin wedges and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Pop in the oven for 5 minutes just to dry the segments out a little. In the meantime, melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until smooth. Dip segments in the melted chocolate then return to the lined tray. Place in the fridge to set.

1 comments:

  1. Beautiful post and beautiful blog! I found you via Manger which is rather strange given that I have been treading similar paths to you in recent times exploring all of the wonder of the NSW regional towns. A girlfriend and I both have sons in the NSW Country soccer team and they have camps and training sessions all over regional NSW. To make life less about our first born males and more about spending time as families we make a point of finding the best things to do and to eat in all of the towns we visit. We have not been disappointed by our trips to Griffith, Orange, Mudgee, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga. A trip to Wodonga last weekend included a delicious lunch at the Long Track Cafe and Pantry with local wines bought next door for our team dinner that night. A week spent in Griffith last school holidays gave us endless wonderful eating options along with a chance meeting with an ex Bowral boy (where we are from) who has just set up a new cafe and roasting business. I look forward to reading more of your travels around the country side.

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