when life hands you toranges...

... you make torangeade, then you make tarts. Because you need something to entertain the child for half an hour until bedtime.

Toranges are apparently exclusive to Thrifty Foods and not produced anywhere in the world other than the Buck citrus orchards. There is a good reason for this: they taste like crap. Like lemons, only without the refreshing zing - just kind of bitter and sour. Also, they cost about 5 times more than lemons.

I am thinking they were a mistake. I should have been more suspicious when the cashier told me that the produce guys wouldn't give samples to them when they asked. My bet is that they are a failed experiment from Buck that Thrifty's is obligated to sell because they're contractually bound to buy their entire crop. Which, generally is a concept I approve of, so I don't think I will actually be complaining to Thrifty's.

Anyway, I bought one because it looked like a pomelo and I like those, and I haven't seen any this year. Won't be doing that again. I was still making faces several minutes after taking a bite.

I ended up juicing it, and I dissolved some honey, diluted it, and mixed the diluted honey-water with the torange juice to make torangeade. It's ok. I can drink it. I also used 5 or 6 tablespoons in tart filling - the tarts I usually make with apple cider vinegar. I cut the sugar a bit and used more vinegar substitute, and they turned out pretty well. Here's an approximation of the recipe:

24 small tart shells

3 eggs
6 tbsp torange juice
1 cup sugar
splash vanilla

Beat eggs lightly, add sugar, torange juice & vanilla. Whisk just to combine, put in tart shells, bake at 375F until brown on tops.