Honeybell Orange Juice Cocktail Recipe

We were very fortunate to receive a gift for a month's worth of "hand-selected premium fruit" from Harry & David from one of my wife's friends. It is a wonderful gift especially this time of the year when you can use a perfectly ripe orange or ruby red grapefruit to get you through the cold winter days.

I tell my youngest daughter when giving her a section of Clementine that she is putting a little sunshine in her mouth with each bite.

This week, the postman showed up at the door with a box of extremely juicy HoneyBell oranges. They came with their own plastic bibs, and it took me a while to figure out what they were. After browsing the Internet for a while to learn more about what some people say is the sweetest orange around, I also learned that they are not really in the orange family botanically but are really tangelos.

When I went to the supermarket and asked the grocer if they had any Honeybell oranges, he sent me to the Minneola Tangelo, short for Minnesota Tangelo, a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine.

I'm guessing they get their name from their shape, but to me, they look like Christmas ornaments you hang on the tree. I learned from the literature sent with the Honeybells that those that "grow close to the trunk have a thicker skin and almost always have the characteristic "bell" on top.

Those that grow toward the outside end of the limb have thinner skins and often don't have the "bell."

Honeybell Orange's Characteristics

Honeybell oranges, or Minneola tangelos, are known for several distinctive characteristics that make them stand out among other citrus fruits:

1. Shape and Appearance: Honeybells have a unique, slightly bell-shaped appearance, with a small knob at the stem end. Their skin is smooth, thin, and bright orange, making them visually appealing and easily recognizable.
2. Flavor: Honeybell oranges are a delightful combination of sweet and tangy. They inherit a subtle tartness from their grapefruit parent, balanced by the sweetness of the tangerine, resulting in a rich, complex flavor.
3. Juiciness: One of Honeybells' most notable characteristics is their juiciness. They contain a high amount of juice, which makes them ideal for fresh consumption or juicing. This abundant juice content has earned them the nickname "juice bomb."
4. Peelability: Honeybells’ thin, loose skin makes them easy to peel, making them a convenient, mess-free snack.
5. Seasonality: Honeybell oranges have a very short growing season, typically from late December through February. Their limited availability adds to their desirability, making them a sought-after winter treat.
6. Aroma: They have a fragrant, citrusy aroma that is both refreshing and invigorating, enhancing their appeal.

These characteristics make Honeybell oranges a unique and cherished fruit among citrus lovers.

Honeybell History and Development:

Honeybells were developed in Florida in the early 20th century by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The fruit is a hybrid between a Dancy tangerine and a Duncan grapefruit, both well-known citrus varieties. This intentional crossbreeding aimed to combine the best qualities of both parent fruits—the sweetness and aroma of the tangerine with the juiciness and slight tartness of the grapefruit.

The first successful cross was made in 1931, and the result was the Minneola tangelo, named after the town of Minneola, Florida, where the fruit was first grown. Over time, this tangelo variety became famous as the Honeybell due to its distinctive bell shape and lovely, honey-like flavor.

Name Origin

The name "Honeybell" perfectly captures two critical aspects of the fruit: its shape and taste. The "bell" refers to the bell-shaped bulge at the fruit’s stem end, while "honey" alludes to its sweet, succulent flavor, reminiscent of honey. This name has become synonymous with high-quality, juicy citrus cherished for its unique qualities.

Today, Honeybell oranges are primarily grown in Florida, where they are harvested briefly in winter. This makes them a highly sought-after seasonal delicacy.

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

Honeybell Orange Juice Cocktail

Tasty and healthy.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: oranges

Ingredients

• 4 Honeybell oranges peeled but leave the yellow pith
• 1 apple
• 1 carrot
• ½ mango peeled and pitted
• 2 slices fresh pineapple about ½ inch thick with the skin removed, we used already cut up chunks of pineapple available at the supermarket

Instructions

• Prep all the ingredients coring the apple and cutting them into quarters. Peel and pit the mango. Get your pineapple ready depending on what you are using. Remove the tops from the carrots but leave the skin on.
• To make the juice, just add everything to a juice machine (juicer). As you can see from the photo, my wife used a juice extractor and a juicer both of which pre-date our marriage.

Notes

They have been sitting around in various kitchen cabinets gathering dust from New York City to Park City, Utah now back east here in Philadelphia so it was great to get them out and use them. Like old friends you haven’t seen in a while, it was a pleasure to make their acquaintance again.

We made more than what’s showing in the measuring cup but the kids and I were drinking it faster than my wife could make it. I thought the photo looked pretty good so that’s why it is included.

Yesterday, we juiced some other fruit, including strawberries and bananas, and the drink was equally delicious. It is hard to mess up a fruit juice drink if you have quality fresh fruit. I hope to keep the juicer and extractor a little busier now that we've enjoyed the nutritious and delicious concoctions they create.

If you have a favorite juice combination, please share it with me.