Get in the Grove Groove

harveys grove

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These days, the Sunshine State is having a love affair with Key lime pies and blueberry wine, guava sake and mango margaritas, pomegranate mojitos and strawberry shortcake (after all, we are smack dab in the middle of Florida's strawberry season). Why happened to the orange's A-list status? Can't we give this bright orb a mother-peelin' break? Let's face it: the Florida orange hasn't exactly had it easy over the past few decades (back in the early 80s the state produced 500 million bushels; in 2009, the estimate was down to 100 million). But if you think the orange has lost its mojo, just make one quick stop at Harvey's Groves in the Space Coast hamlet of Rockledge. Located in a white-washed barn-like structure along US 1, with a grinning orange waving at you from the roof, Harvey's has been the place to get Florida oranges since 1926. Stop into the open-air fruit stand and choose from navel, valencia, temple and honeybell tangelos. In the gift shop, the fruit comes jellied, candied, and chocolate-covered (but dare I say the Key lime fudge is my personal fave). And of course there's the OJ: a sweet, pulpy medley of tangerine, golds and tangelos. If getting over to Rockledge isn't in the cards, you can order from their website.

Tags: florida orange | food | fruit | Rockledge | tastes