This Year’s Weather Is A Triple Threat To Orange Growers

These are nerve-wracking days for orange farmers.

Orange crops in Florida and California, by far the country's two largest producers, are fighting battles on almost every front a farmer can face. As boxes of California citrus fruit rot on the docks amid labor disputes dragging on at many of the state's shipping ports, Florida growers are concerned that a blast of frigid air that's expected to hit the state on Thursday will freeze next year's orange crop before it even grows.

Freezing temperatures are expected to all but completely blanket the Sunshine State over the next 24 hours, and temperatures may fall below 20 degrees in the center of the state, where many of its farms and groves are located, according to Nicole Carlisle, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service based in Tampa.

Many crops are threatened, but orange growers are concerned that one day of bad weather will cut into two years of harvests.

Here's what’s worrying growers in the two states; they have already harvested about half of this year's total crop. But the balance is still on the tree. Oranges can withstand temperatures of about 30 degrees for up to four hours. Growers can also spray the tops of the trees with water, which forms a layer of ice and keeps cold air out of the trees. But the flowers cannot withstand freezing temperatures at all. And next year's fruit will grow out of this year's flowers.

From the bloom on for next year's crop, they will have to go out on Friday morning and see how the trees look.

Despite the trouble, the outlook is not entirely dire. They are still producing oranges. Nobody's quitting, nobody's throwing arms in the air. We will get a solution, we just don't know when.

Things are more desperate for California citrus farmers. The ports slowdown is stalling the shipment of oranges and other citrus to Asia, a market that collectively buys around 25 percent of the California orange crop. Oranges are particularly popular during Chinese New Year, which is Thursday, as a symbolic and festive fruit. China, including Hong Kong, is the second largest market for California orange exports after South Korea.

"The ports slowdown is having a very significant impact on our business and has the potential to be catastrophic if it continues," said Bob Blakely, vice president of California Citrus Mutual, a group that represents citrus growers in that state. "We are into the peak of our export season, and this week our shipments were off 50 percent compared to the same week last year."

This worry comes amid a dry winter in what has now become a six-year drought for the state. Many growers have already exhausted their well water and may not be able to grow a crop at all next year.

This could mean the 2015-2016 crop of oranges could be a lot smaller than planned. It is hard to put a number on the potential damage.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Eclectic Uses For Oranges

If we look up the word eclectic we find that one definition is “a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.” We have run across a diverse use for oranges that we just had to pass on.

Bird Feeder
Scoop out the segments of an orange that has been cut in half. Put three small holes spaced evenly around the rim. Fill with wild birdseed and hang from a sturdy branch using a medium twine.

Emergency Oil Lamp
Cut an orange in half and scoop out orange pulp. Fill with olive oil. Use a strip of pith as the candle wick.

Preserve Soft Brown Sugar
To keep brown sugar fresh and soft, add a few pieces of fresh clean orange peel to an air tight container.

Seed Starter Pot
Cut an orange in half and scoop out contents. Poke a small drain hole in bottom. Fill the empty orange half with potting soil and plant a small amount of herb seeds or starters.

Deodorize Your Refrigerator
If you don't have baking soda you can pack an orange half (fruit removed) with salt and place in a small bowl to keep your fridge to keep it fresh and smelling clean and citrusy.

Orange Peel Kindling
Due to the high content of flammable oil in orange peel, dried peel makes a great fire starter or kindling.

Face and Body Exfoliator
Dry orange peels in the sun or in the oven. Process then in the food processor or coffee grinder and mix with chickpea flour for a natural exfoliating cleanser that can be used on face and body.

Mosquito Repellent
Rub fresh orange peels over your exposed skin to keep mosquitoes away. It’s said that mosquitoes and gnats are totally repulsed by orange scent.

Scrubber For Cast Iron Pans
Half an orange with some coffee grounds poured into it makes a great scrubber for a cast iron pan! The peel helps to protect your hand from the coffee grounds (which are an excellent abrasive), as well as adding citrus cleaning power. Then just toss it in the compost.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Orange, Watercress and Kale Salad

We talked about the some of the super foods in yesterday’s blog and we present this fresh salad today using two of them. 

If you think of salads as more of a late spring or summer idea, please set this recipe aside for later use.

Ingredients

2 Sunburst Navel oranges
1/4 fresh cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil 
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar 
3/4 teaspoon Real Salt; to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper; to taste
1/2 medium bunch kale (about 5 cups) 
1/2 small head watercress (about 2 cups) 
1/4 cup salted cashews

Directions

Peel one orange and break the segments apart. On a bias, slice the segments in half.

Juice the second orange and reserve ¼ cup. 

Chop the cashews into small pieces.

Remove thick stems from the Kale and tear leaves into bite-size pieces

Tear watercress into bite-size pieces

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the orange segments, orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Add the kale and watercress to bowl and toss to combine with liquid. 

Sprinkle with the chopped cashews.

Enjoy cold and fresh.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Heart Healthy Foods

Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in this country. You would think a lifestyle that could dramatically reduce these deaths would be big news. Yet the most effective remedy is so simple that most people can't seem to believe it works. What is that lifestyle… it is actually very simple… proper diet and exercise. The last part of that puzzle is not smoking.

Statins, the most effective single medications for reducing heart disease, only cut risk by 25 to 30 percent. In fact, you would need a cabinet full of prescription drugs to bestow all the benefits of a serious heart-healthy meal plan. There's nothing a drug can do for your heart health that foods can't do, too.

Hippocrates understood the concept more than 2,000 years ago: "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." In that spirit, here are the top foods for the heart. But this list is only a beginning. A truly healthy diet features a broad range of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, not just a select few. 

Oranges contain a pharmacy's worth of salves for the heart. The soluble fiber pectin acts like a giant sponge, sopping up cholesterol in food and blocking its absorption--just like a class of drugs known as bile acid sequestrants. And the potassium in oranges helps counterbalance salt, keeping blood pressure under control.

But new research shows something even more startling: Citrus pectin helps neutralize a protein called galectin-3 that causes scarring of heart tissue, leading to congestive heart failure, a condition that is often difficult to treat with drugs. 

Pectin is contained in the pulp and pith. You'll get more of it in juice with pulp. Or better yet, eat your oranges.

You need to consume dark leafy greens. Kale has everything you would want in a superfood. For starters, kale boasts a bumper crop of heart-healthy antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin E. It's also rich in lutein, which correlated in the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study with protection against early atherosclerosis. 

Research suggests that, much like the ACE inhibitor drugs that fight high blood pressure, garlic ratchets down an enzyme called angiotensin, which constricts blood vessels. Though the effect is modest compared with medications, garlic seems to have a significant impact on the buildup of plaque. 

The Kuna Indians off the coast of Panama have enviably low blood pressure, and unlike the rest of us, they don't develop hypertension as they age. When Harvard cardiologist Dr. Norman Hollenberg set out to unravel their secret, he assumed they carried some rare genetic trait. Instead he found they drink enormous quantities of minimally processed cocoa. They are rich in compounds called flavanols, which improve blood vessel flexibility. We can all get them from chocolate, a few squares a day. Dark chocolate is likely to have more, because it starts with a higher cocoa content, but that's no guarantee, since different processing methods can destroy them.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Facebook Community “Orange is the New Liver”

Keeping with our coverage of “All Things Orange” we wanted to bring this charitable event and cause to your attention.

There is a new Facebook community “Orange is the New Liver” https://www.facebook.com/orangeisthenewliver

They are helping to promote awareness for the American Liver Foundation and related liver disease programs.

The American Liver Foundation advocates on behalf of more than 30 million Americans with liver disease on the federal, state, and local levels.

They provide education programs, support services, and outreach activities that reach more than 200,000 individuals annually and help raise awareness about liver disease prevention and management.

A future free of liver disease, is the goal the volunteers and staff of the American Liver Foundation® work toward every day. You can join them and make a difference as a participant in the Liver Life Walk®. Your participation will keep us moving forward in the fight against one of America's fastest growing public health concerns -- liver disease.

The American Liver Foundation is the largest non-governmental supporter of liver disease research in the United States and since 1979, the American Liver Foundation Research Awards Program has provided more than $24 million to more than 750 qualified scientists and physicians.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

 Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Can Dogs Eat Oranges?

Can we start this answer by a couple of cautions? First like people some dogs could be allergic to oranges so start in moderation. Unless you want to de-seed the oranges use a delicious Sunburst Navel orange which are naturally seedless.

Ok, yes you can feed orange segments (never the rind) to dogs. Not all dogs will like the taste of an orange. On the other hand, some dogs will beg for them.

Everything about oranges that makes them nutritional powerhouses for us humans will benefit your dogs, too.

But use caution, because oranges have properties that can irritate and upset your dog’s stomach. First of all, use moderation when feeding oranges to your dog. The fruit is high in citric acid, too much of which can assault a sensitive digestive system.

That said, remember the orange rind itself is rich with citrus oils that are definite bad news for dogs, so be sure to throw away the peel and only feed your dog a few small orange slices (segments) at a time. Two or three slices a day should be a good limit.

Oranges, tangerines, and clementines are high in sugars.  If you have a dog with a weight problem then consider the calorie content of the orange snacks into their overall food intake. Many snacks for dogs do have a high sugar content. These along with any other treats should not make up more than 10% of your pet’s daily calories.

Oranges are loaded with antioxidants, which will boost your dog's immune system. When you are introducing oranges to your dog, do so slowly and in small amounts to be sure your dog does not suffer any stomach upset.

In high quantities, citrus fruits have been known to have a laxative effect in dogs. All things in moderation, hmmm.

Dogs due well on a balanced diet that is high in natural meat based proteins.

If you have citrus trees in your yard make sure you pick up the dropped fruit as your dog may try to eat the fruit whole and the rind and seeds are not good for them.

For a special summer time treat you can give your dog frozen orange segments as a cool refreshing snack.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:

Sunburst Oranges

180 South “E” Street

Porterville, CA  93257

559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: "You're Comparing Apples and Oranges!”

Just how many times have you heard that?  And just why can’t you compare apples and oranges?

A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be practically compared. Really?

The idiom, comparing apples and oranges, refers to the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable or incommensurable, such as apples and oranges. The idiom may also be used to indicate that a false analogy has been made between two items, such as where an apple is faulted for not being a good orange.

First, the statement that something is like comparing apples and oranges is a kind of analogy itself. That is, denigrating an analogy by accusing it of comparing apples and oranges is, in and of itself, comparing apples and oranges. More importantly, it is not difficult to demonstrate that apples and oranges can, in fact, be compared.

At least two tongue-in-cheek scientific studies have been conducted on the subject, each of which concluded that apples can be compared with oranges fairly easily and on a low budget and the two fruits are quite similar.

The first study, conducted by Scott A. Sandford of the NASA Ames Research Center, used infrared spectroscopy to analyze both apples and oranges. The study, which was published in the Annals of Improbable Research, concluded: "[...] the comparing apples and oranges defense should no longer be considered valid. This is a somewhat startling revelation. It can be anticipated to have a dramatic effect on the strategies used in arguments and discussions in the future."

A second study, written by Stamford Hospital's surgeon-in-chief James Barone and published in the British Medical Journal, noted that the phrase apples and oranges was appearing with increasing frequency in the medical literature, with some notable articles comparing "Desflurane and propofol" and "Salmeterol and ipratropium" with "apples and oranges".

The study also found that both apples and oranges were sweet, similar in size, weight, and shape, that both are grown in orchards, and both may be eaten, juiced, and so on. The only significant differences found were in terms of seeds (the study used seedless oranges), the involvement of Johnny Appleseed, and color.

Early in the history of the orange being introduced in many cultures it was referred to as China's apple.

No matter what we think Oranges are the best for you and the best tasting! Oranges Rule!

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:

Sunburst Oranges

180 South “E” Street

Porterville, CA  93257

559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges Citrus Grilled Banana Leaf Wrapped Tilapia

In Central America and other parts of the tropics, many dishes are wrapped in banana leaves, giving them a very special flavor. We have added a special Sunburst Oranges twist to style of cooking.

Ingredients

1 Sunburst Navel Orange cut into thin slices

1 Sunburst Lemon cut into thin slices

2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

GOYA® Adobo Light All-Purpose Seasoning with Pepper, to taste

4 Banana Leafs

4 fillets (4 oz. each) fresh tilapia, or other firm flesh white fish

1 cup medium red, green, orange or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup medium red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit

In small bowl, mix together olive oil, cilantro and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Unfold banana leaf. Cut off tough rib that runs along bottom edge of leaf with kitchen shears. Gently cut leaf into 10 to 12 inch sections being careful not to split them. Size to form packet of fish and ingredients.

Place a layer of orange and lemon slices on the banana leaf. Place tilapia fillet on the citrus slices in center of banana leaf; season with salt and pepper to taste. Place another layer of orange and lemon slices on top of the tilapia. Stir the reserved mixture to combine; spoon 2 tbsp. mixture over fish. Top layer with ¼ cup each peppers and onions. Fold two ends of banana leaf over fish to enclose; fold in two edges to form packet.

Using kitchen twine, tie packet to secure; transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients to form 4 packets.

Bake until fish is opaque and flakes easily with fork, about 20 minutes; transfer to plates. Cut ties and discard. Open packets (banana leaves are not edible). Serve promptly.

An alternate is not to use the peppers and onions.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy. Direct from our trees to your home.

Presented By:

Sunburst Oranges

180 South “E” Street

Porterville, CA  93257

559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: How Do You Celebrate Presidents Day?

Are you working today or do you have Presidents Day Off?

If you work at most banks and government offices you will be for today. It’s Presidents Day, aka George Washington’s birthday, on which the U.S. celebrates the birth of its first commander in chief and honors the 42 others who succeeded him. The holiday has been officially observed since 1879, in one form or another. So if it has just dawned on you that business as usual won’t transpire Monday, fret not. Here’s a listing what’s closed today on Presidents Day.

Postal offices will not be delivering mail Monday. If you’ve got mail to send, it will sit in a mailbox until the first collection time Tuesday. Packages shipped through UPS and FedEx should still arrive if the delivery date falls on the holiday. Amazon.com says it processes and ships some orders on the holiday, but delivery may be delayed.

Major banks covered by the Federal Reserve Bank observe Presidents day. Transactions and deposits made in stores and at ATMs may not be reflected on bank-account and credit-card statements until the next business day. For anyone trying to wire money to friends and family members, Western Union and MoneyGram will process transactions online, but hours for walk-in service locations may vary.

If a driver’s license or other government-issued identification card has expired, those offices also are scheduled to be closed. That includes most state departments of motor vehicles, as well as federal Social Security offices and Veterans Affairs centers. Hospitals never close, but some of their departments may have limited hours or be closed. When in doubt, call ahead.

Many schools are closed on Presidents Day. Check with your school district to find out what is open or closed in your area.

Most federal, state, county and city offices are closed in celebration of Presidents Day. A quick phone call or Internet check will show you who is open in your location.

Most U.S. workers who are off on Presidents Day are still paid for the day.

About 35 percent of American employers give their workers the holiday off, according to a Bloomberg BNA Holiday Practices Survey. That’s a larger percentage than for either Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Columbus Day. All three aforementioned day-off holidays lag New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Do you fly the American Flag for this Holiday? Do you celebrate with a special diner or trip to a local park for a picnic? Do you bake a cherry pie in celebration for the famous George Washing cherry tree myth?

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Happy Valentine's Day

Presented By:
 Sunburst Oranges
 180 South “E” Street
 Porterville, CA  93257
 559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Citrus Pulp Used In Biomass Fuel

Biomass is fuel that is developed from organic materials, a renewable and sustainable source of energy used to create electricity or other forms of power.

Biomass is a renewable source of fuel to produce energy because waste residues will always exist – in terms of scrap wood, mill residuals and forest resources; and properly managed forests will always have more trees, and we will always have crops and the residual biological matter from those crops.

While you may have heard of biomass fuel did you know that the residue from all types of citrus pulp can be used as part of the mix of raw material for biomass fuel?

Efficient biomass conversion depends on locally available resources due to high shipping costs of biomass. Cellulosic ethanol and gasification processes are just entering the early commercial phase and offer many opportunities for improvement.

Sources For Biomass Fuels

Municipal waste, green waste
Bagasse and sugarcane waste
Citrus pulp
Forest residues & trimmings
Invasive trees and plants
Animal waste
Agricultural residues
Energy crops from trees such as pines and hardwoods
Agricultural crops such as grasses, corn, sweet sorghum, and sweet potato.

Cellulosic Ethanol from Biomass

Cellulosic ethanol is a biofuel produced from inedible parts (lignocellulose) of plants. Lignocellulose is composed mainly of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Switchgrass, woodchips, sweet sorghum, orange peels are some of the more popular cellulosic materials for ethanol production.  Cellulosic ethanol has the advantage of abundant and diverse raw material compared to sources like corn and cane sugars.

By using a variety of feedstocks for refining cellulosic ethanol, fuel can be produced in nearly every region of the country.  Though it requires a more complex refining process, cellulosic ethanol contains more net energy and results in lower greenhouse emissions than traditional corn-based ethanol.  E-85, an ethanol-fuel blend comprised of 85-percent ethanol, is already available in more than 1,000 fueling stations nationwide and can power millions of flexible fuel vehicles already on the roads.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Orange Chocolate Cupcakes For Valentine’s Day

Or should we say orange chocolate cupcakes for Valentine’s Day with a real twist. We know how busy you are so there are as many timesaving cheats in here as possible. We want to share how well the taste of oranges and chocolate go together.  The orange cup serving just adds a novel touch to this dish.

Ingredients
Twelve nice sized Navel Oranges (order today from Sunburst Oranges)
A chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines)
A can of frosting
3 eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice (see Directions)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Cut the top off the oranges and set aside. Scoop the segments out of the orange bottoms. Make fresh squeezed orange juice from the segment parts and strain out the pulp. 

Open your cake mix and make up the batter as instructed substituting the call for water with the same amount of the fresh squeezed orange juice. Fill the orange bottoms with the cake batter and replace the top of the orange.

Individually wrap the oranges in tinfoil.  Place on the center rack of a pre-heated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. Bake for thirty minutes and remove one orange and test doneness with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean your cupcake is done.

When done remove from oven and unwrap the tinfoil. Place of a cooling rack until cool.

You can choose to carefully remove the orange rind at this time or serve in the orange cup as is.

Open your can of frosting and scoop contents into a piping bag. Carefully remove the orange top (twisting motion) and decorate as desired. 

You could embellish the frosting with heart shaped sprinkles in honor of your Valentine. Or sprinkle orange zest over the frosting to increase the orange flavor of your desert.

Eating from the orange cup with a spoon may be a good option.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us here at Sunburst Oranges.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: What You Need To Know About Valentine’s Day

Saint Valentine's Day, also known as Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is a holiday observed on February 14 each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it is not a holiday in most of them.

St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical celebration one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. Several martyrdom stories were invented for the various Valentines that belonged to February 14, and added to later martyrologies.

A popular hagiographical account of Saint Valentine of Rome states that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. According to legend, during his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius. An embellishment to this story states that before his execution he wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell. Today, Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion, as well as in the Lutheran Church. 

The Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrates Saint Valentine's Day, albeit on July 6 and July 30, the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine, and the latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni). In Brazil, the Dia de São Valentim is recognized on June 12.

The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). 

In Europe, Saint Valentine's Keys are given to lovers "as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart", as well as to children, in order to ward off Saint Valentine's Malady. Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Approximately 132 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged industry-wide (not including packaged kids’ valentines for classroom exchanges), making Valentine’s Day the second-largest holiday for giving greeting cards.

J.C. Cooper, in The Dictionary of Christianity, writes that Saint Valentine was "a priest of Rome who was imprisoned for succouring persecuted Christians." Contemporary records of Saint Valentine were most probably destroyed during this Diocletianic Persecution in the early 4th century. In the 5th or 6th century, a work called Passio Marii et Marthae published a story of martyrdom for Saint Valentine of Rome, perhaps by borrowing tortures that happened to other saints, as was usual in the literature of that period. The same events are also found in Bede's Martyrology, which was compiled in the 8th century. It states that Saint Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer Asterius. The jailer's daughter and his forty-four member household (family members and servants) came to believe in Jesus and were baptized.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Eating Chocolate Is Good For You

One of the many items we carry is Chocolate and if you listen to the news these days you may come away thinking that your favorite guilty pleasure is something that you should stay away from. It seems that further reading will show you that nothing could be further from the truth.

Next time you eat a piece of chocolate, you may not have to feel overly guilty about it.

Despite its bad reputation for causing weight gain, there are a number of health benefits associated with this delicious treat.

Chocolate is made from tropical Theobroma cacao tree seeds. The earliest use of chocolate dates back to the Olmec civilization in Mesoamerica.

After the discovery of the Americas, chocolate became very popular in Europe, and its demand exploded.

Chocolate has since become an incredibly popular food product that millions indulge in everyday for its unique, rich, and sweet taste.

But what effects does eating chocolate have on our health?

This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles about the health benefits of popular foods. It provides details on the possible health benefits of chocolate as well as some risks and precautions that you may want to be aware of. Included throughout are links to relevant studies and articles.

The Potential Health Benefits Of Chocolate

Dark chocolate Throughout the years, chocolate has been on the end of a lot of bad press because of its fat content, and its consumption has been associated with acne, obesity, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and diabetes.

However, "the recent discovery of biologically active phenolic compounds in cocoa has changed this perception and stimulated research on its effects in ageing, oxidative stress, blood pressure regulation, and atherosclerosis. Today, chocolate is lauded for its tremendous antioxidant potential."2
The potential benefits of eating chocolate are said to include: lowering cholesterol levels, preventing cognitive decline, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Chocolate May Lower Cholesterol Levels

Chocolate consumption may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

A study published in The Journal of Nutrition was carried out to determine whether chocolate bars containing plant sterols (PS) and cocoa flavanols (CF) have any effect on cholesterol levels.3

The study authors wrote "results indicate that regular consumption of chocolate bars containing PS and CF as part of a low-fat diet may support cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and improving blood pressure."

Chocolate May Prevent Memory Decline

Scientists at Harvard Medical School suggest that drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day may help keep the brain healthy and prevent memory decline in older people. The researchers said that hot chocolate can help preserve blood flow in working areas of the brain.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections of chocolate and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges: Clothes Made From Oranges, Who Knew?

We know how good oranges are for your health.  But, oranges as part of the next new fashion trend, Who Knew!

Can you wear citrus, be fashionable and respect the environment at the same time?

Now it’s possible thanks to two Sicilian girls keen on fashion and sustainable development: Adriana Santocito, 36-year-old fashion designer, and Enrica Arena, 28-year-old communication specialist.

Their adventure started in 2011, in a shared flat in Milan. Adriana and Enrica, non-resident students, dreamed of changing the world by using the resources and by-products that were going to waste in their homeland.

Sicily is one of the largest producers of lemons and oranges, but every year more than 700,000 tons of waste are created by the Italian citrus industry. So why not use that waste to make a new eco-friendly textile?

Adriana started experimenting in the lab of the Polytechnic Institute of Milan, extracted cellulose from the already squeezed fruit and turned it into textile fiber. Then she used nanotechnologies to capsulate citrus essential oils and fix them between the fibers. The result is a fabric releasing vitamin C on the skin. Adriana and Enrica, of course, called it Orange Fiber as their startup - and in 2013 they patented it.

In order to attract funds they entered startup competitions and won several awards. Supported by experts, they proved the project’s feasibility, developed a business model and found their first private investors - a group of Sicilian citrus entrepreneurs. Then an incubator (iPoin Trentino) decided to accept and support their project. So their idea has turned into an industrial reality. In September the new textile spun with silk was presented during Milan Fashion Week.

In addition to giving new life to citrus waste, orange textile reduces carbon emissions and environmental impact of the traditional textile manufacturing methods (taking a large amount of water, fertilizers and chemicals). Furthermore, it’s good for the body. The microcapsules can resist up to 20 washes but Orange Fiber founders have started working on a refill system.

Maybe they won’t change the world, but they’ve certainly found a response to an environmental issue and a way to improve the textile industry.

The first collection of Orange Fiber will be ready for market in February of 2015. The next step will be the internationalization of this environmental friendly project.

If you are looking for the perfect wholesome gift for a business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391

Sunburst Oranges Presents: Chocolate Orange Cream Pie

A great dessert for that valentine dinner.

Ingredients
One half recipe Easy Pie Dough, shaped and chilled in a pie plate
16 ounces whole milk
2 tablespoons orange zest (from approximately 2 oranges)
13 ounces 65% chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces or smaller
5 tablespoons corn syrup
Pinch of salt
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
6 ounces heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
garnish: candied orange zest

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the bottom and sides of the chilled, shaped pie crust with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights (I re-use dried beans for this purpose). On the bottom rack of the oven, bake the shell for 20 minutes rotating halfway through, then remove the weights and liner and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie is golden brown. Remove the shell from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine milk and orange zest. Bring them just to a boil over medium heat, then remove from heat and allow them to sit for 20 minutes. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the zest, and return the infused milk to a clean, medium-sized saucepan. Combine chopped chocolate, salt, and corn syrup in a large bowl. Bring milk just to a boil, then pour milk over the chocolate mixture and allow it to sit for 2 minutes. Then, stir milk and chocolate mixture until all of the chocolate is melted. Pour mixture back into the saucepan over low heat, and stir continuously for approximately 8 minutes, taking care to prevent the mixture from burning on the bottom of the pan. The mixture will thicken and begin to bubble. Continue stirring until it has thickened to the consistency of pudding. Remove from heat and pour the filling into the pie shell. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling (not over the crust), and chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is ideal).

To serve: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream and confectioner's together until the cream has thickened but does not yet hold soft peaks. Add the mascarpone and whip until the mixture holds medium peaks. Top pie with the whipped mixture and decorate with candied orange zest (if desired). Serve immediately.

If you are looking for the perfect gift for business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391