Orange Juice

by Vicki Reich, from the March 2002 Newsletter

Every year around this time my grandmother sends me a case of Honeybells from Florida. Honeybells are a wonderfully juicy cross between a tangerine and an orange and they make the best fresh-squeezed orange juice I've ever had. The sight of those orange globes got me wondering if the orange juices that we carry tastes anything like fresh squeezed, and if so, which of the five tastes the best. Of course I called in my trusty taste-testers, The Hog Heaven Handspinners, passed out glasses and began to taste.

First up was Cascadian Farms Organic Frozen Concentrate ($2.99 for 48 oz.). This juice was at a distinct disadvantage since it was the only "from concentrate" juice we tasted. It was still good. It was the sweetest of the bunch, someone thought it tasted a little like Tang or like the juice you get on an airplane, but I thought it was definitely a step above. It was sweet with no acidity and no pulp. We all thought it would be a good one for kids.

Horizon Organic Orange Juice With Pulp ($5.75 for 64 oz.) was next in the blind taste test. It had a slightly nutty flavor (in a good way) and tasted more like fresh squeezed. It had a good amount of pulp and was sweet but not too sweet.

Next up was the new Columbia Gorge Organic OJ ($2.35 for 16 oz.). This was the most like fresh squeezed and was the favorite of the group. It was more acidic and less sweet than the previous two and had nice body and aroma. Also new to the Co-op OJ line-up was Naked Just OJ ($2.25 for 16 oz.). This is the only non-organic orange juice the co-op carries. It was the least sweet of the bunch and consequently the most acidic. It was very light bodied and several us agreed it would mix very nicely with vodka.

Last but not least was Organic Valley No Pulp OJ ($5.35 for 64 oz.). This had a nice, fresh-squeezed taste that was not too sweet with a nice bite and was my second favorite.

What we discovered is that you can't really go wrong with any of the orange juices the Co-op carries. If I were in the mood for just-squeezed juice, I'd probably choose the Columbia Gorge but I would certainly keep a can of Cascadian Farms in my freezer for emergencies, or a carton of Organic Valley for those weekend brunches. Of course, for truly fresh squeezed taste you'll need to get yourself some fresh, organic Valencia oranges and squeeze them yourself. Or better yet, get your grandmother to send you some Honeybells from Florida. They're the best.

 

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