Ojai Citrus Is a Bright Spot in Deep Winter

www.bonappetit.com/story/ojai-tangerines-mail-order


Last Christmas, when my family asked what I wanted, I replied: BIG BOX OF TANGERINES. I sent the link to OjaiPixies.com. You have to order them a few weeks/months in advance, so when they show up on a snowy winter day right when you totally forgot you made that bossy request, well, what a pleasant surprise!



The tangerines—or oranges, grapefruit, lemons, a few avocados, you have a lot of choices—are from Friend’s Ranch in Ojai, California, 2,315 miles away from me. Last year, I ordered a mixed box that had several varieties of seeded, seedless, tiny and big tangerines, all as sweet as candy and cute as a button. Some are so small they fit into your puffer coat pockets, which is a great place to store them. These seasonal California tangerines make the year-round oranges I buy here in Michigan (for cocktails only) look like plastic props in comparison, bitter and bland.



And this year, demand for the Pixies has only grown. In fact, you have to keep checking back on the Friend’s Ranch site to catch its restocks every Tuesday, at around 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET. I just snagged “The Plain Jane” box this week, which I’m crossing my fingers contains a few avocados. Yes, there’s hype for seasonal fruit now. Set your calendar alert. Do what you need to do!