15 Jan Freaked by the Flu? Squeeze Your Own Tangerine Juice

You know that first tingle of the flu, when it’s cracking its knuckles and just limbering up to unleash the hurt? When all you want is an injection of Day-Glo vitamin C to the veins? (Whether or not it makes a significant difference?) Tangerine juice is one of the most flavorful C-boosters you can drink.

Our own tangerine tree is bursting with fruit these days. After eating dozens for breakfast and dessert, we still had a mountain of fruit remaining, tangerines whose dirt-crusted exteriors belie a bright, tangy detonation on the inside. These leftovers were thin-skinned and difficult to peel.

What to do? We made juice — a homegrown, more piquant, slightly sweeter alternative to OJ. And unlike last time, this stuff is virginal.

Real Tangerine Juice

Ingredients:

– Mature tangerine tree with fully or slightly over-ripe fruit

– Stepladder and/or fruit picker

– Rotary citris juicer

You might want to set up a production line for steps two through five.

Step One: Erect a ladder and pick the fruit.  A ladder with a fruit picker works best and minimizes neck pain.   Or buy them from the supermarket. Fifteen pounds makes about six quarts from our tree.

Step Two: Wash, using a vegetable brush and water if necessary.

Step Three: Halve.

Step Four: Juice using a citrus juicer.

Step Five: Contain.

Step Six: Drink, and fortify. Warning: Will not last long in fridge.