Color my frustration orange

Gregorie Ann LOVES orange juice.   Well, Gregorie Ann loves fresh, HOME-SQUEEZED orange juice.  Not even the unpasteurized, fresh-squeezed at the grocery will do.  Her palette is very refined on the point.  We usually buy a 25-lb bag of valencia oranges at the farmer's market and then squeeze them with my mother's antique juicer.  For the last couple weeks, though, there have been no valencia oranges at the market.  A couple weeks back I bought a 25-lb bag of navels.  When I got to home with the goods, Greggie pulled her chair to the counter to watch me coax the golden nectar into her waiting glass.  And she waited and she waited.  Orange after orange to fill that glass!  Finally, I handed the glass to her and turned to wash the juicer.  I had no sooner set the juicer down in the sink when I heard, "schleerrrppp!" and the tinkle of her metal straw against the glass as she said, "More please!"  The oranges were so unyielding, the juicing so frustrating, that I took to telling her, "We don't have any orange juice."  It, frankly, wasn't ALL that untrue.

Last week I bought tangelos and they were far more productive in the juicer.  Alas, she didn't like tangelo juice!  So, today was farmer's market day again.  And I can only tell you of the joy that surged through me when I saw the sign, "VALENCIA ORANGES!  $5 small bag, $10 large bag."

The juicing was easy, so rewarding, I filled her glass and then a whole quart.  Gregg came in from a bike ride as I finished the quart and before I could put the lid on, he filled himself an 8-oz glass.  As he set his glass down he said, "I think we may need to break out the rum!"  Not only are valencias easier to juice/higher yielders, they also make  MUCH better juice!  The quart is chilling in the refrigerator!  CHEERS!

PS:  In case anyone is interested, we pay $10 for a 25-lb bag.  That will make about 8 quarts of juice.  Works out to be cheaper than the "pure premium" crap!