Last year, Steve and I discovered his Meyer Lemons and Blood Oranges. I was so sad when the citrus season ended.  Fresh off the tree and so juicy and flavorful – his produce tastes like I imagine sunshine would.  Just the pick-me-up I’ve been craving. 

My family is big with the citrus – I’ve often joked that my daughter, Sarah, is half mandarin orange. She puts away about 5 of those little oranges a day, I kid you not. I love to decorate my kitchen with big bowls piled high with citrus fruit. My sister gave me a glass triffle bowl for Christmas – it looks gorgeous filled with lovely yellows and oranges.

Steve used to make a simple vodka cocktail with the fruit from the Farmer’s Market. He skipped the simple syrup step, juiced the lemons and oranges, added a little raw sugar, a splash of vodka. Very easy, very refreshing.  If you are looking for a cocktail on the fancier side, you might want to try a Blood Orange Cosmo from Life Should Be Beautiful.

If you’d like to add a touch of citrus to your beauty routine, you can mix up a simple Citrus Sugar Scrub by combining 1 cup of raw or brown sugar, 4 Tablespoons cold-pressed oil (I suggest Almond oil), 4 tsps of honey, and 10 drops of lemon, orange, or grapefruit essential oil (use singularly or a mixture of the 3).  The Citrus Sugar Scrub will keep about a month in a well-sealed container.  

If a salt scrub is more your thing, then Aly has a great do-it-yourself recipe over at Pretty By Nature, that was the inspiration for this entire post. Thanks Aly!

I’m going to be running a citrus giveaway at Veggie Chic, starting tomorrow (1/12/09). Ten winners will recieve a shipment of Cuties Mandarin Oranges.  Don’t forget to come by and enter the giveaway!

Image credit: Michelle Smith

Post from: Splendicity. Check out our new community features!

Fresh Citrus – Just the Pick Me Up I Need!

The Beauty Counter Blog has this to say about Pomegranates:

POMEGRANATE/ (pom-a-gran-it)/ n./ 1. A biblical fruit native to the Mediterranean region, with a reddish rind, sweet aromatic scent, and filled with hundreds of edible seeds; / 2. A traditional representation of fertility, pomegranate is packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals, which can age the skin, e.g., “Modern goddesses continue to enjoy the natural, youth-enhancing properties of pomegranate, a beauty staple from the cradle of Western Civilization.”

The anti-oxidants in Pomegranates make it an excellent ingredient in skin care products.  Burt’s Bees features it in many of their products including their Naturally Ageless Night Creme. 

If you are a bath lover, Ortigia Sicilia Pomegranate Bath Oil, a product of Sicily is available at At Home On Main Street. 

Moisturizer image credit - Burt’s Bees 

Bath Oil image credit – At Home On Main Street

Post from: Splendicity. Check out our new community features!

Pomegranate – Autumn’s Beautiful Fruit