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I have been forever changed.  I might not be able to eat citrus fruit from the grocery store at home in Minnesota ever again.

I was truly not prepared for the sudden explosion of flavor in my mouth.  I had no idea what to anticipate.  The only recent flavor reference that I had for citrus fruit comes from my previous experience with store bought fruit shipped for days before reaching our grocery store shelves in Minnesota.  This was nothing like that.

This was like that first really warm day after a long Minnesota winter, when you walk outside and suddenly realize that you no longer need your coat (but have worn it out of habit).  Like a shot of pure sunshine in my mouth, the citrus fruits that we sampled had the immediate effect of causing us to pick and choose our favorites to take back to the hotel with us to savor.

I sampled the grapefruit, and anticipated the signature tartness that I generally expect from a grapefruit.  Perhaps this grapefruit was different, having had the chance to stay on the tree for a few extra days instead of being picked early to withstand shipping.  Whatever the case, the tartness that I was bracing for never came up….just sweetness and that distinctive grapefruit flavor.

This particular fruit stand is S and L Fruit in Kissimmee, Florida, but we saw local farmers markets like this all over while driving about.  Next time you are in Orlando, take some time to savor the local flavors of fresh citrus fruit.