An Orange Crush recipe is one of the most iconic drinks of the summer season. Light, refreshing and delicious, it is the quintessential beach cocktail that is reminiscent of summer vacation and hot days spent on the beach. This cool concoction is a refreshing mix of vodka and orange liqueur, a splash of lemon-lime soda, and the most important ingredient of all – freshly-squeezed orange juice. There is no denying that this drink will have you feeling as if you’re chilling on a Brazillian beach even if you’re in the sweltering heat of a tropical nation.
Created in 1995 by Chris Wall and Lloyd Whitehead, along with Jerry Wood and Kelly Flynn as a signature drink for the Ocean city Harbourside bar and grill, this drink quickly became a summer favorite for Maryland and the rest of the laid back beach towns along the east coast.
Contents
What Are Navel Oranges?
Navel Oranges are large, round oranges with thick loose rinds. They are called so due to the navel-like formation on the fruit which is a rudimentary or undeveloped “twin” fruit that grew inside the main fruit.
They’re seedless, peel easily, and are thought to be one of the world’s tasting oranges. It is, therefore, no wonder that they yield the tastiest orange juice. They are high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C and they also help control diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.
Tips To Pick The Juiciest Navel Oranges
- Choose oranges that feel heavy for their size and have firm, finely textured skin.
- Skin color is not an indicator of flavor or ripeness. The bright orange ones may not always be sweet.
- Avoid any oranges with soft or discolored, or those that feel spongy.
- The bigger the navel in the orange, the sweeter it will be.
- Navel oranges also have a characteristic pleasantly pungent fragrance.
How To Store Navel Oranges?
- Store oranges at room temperature for 1-2 days
- Ripe oranges can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
What Is The Way To Get The Most Juice Out Of The Navel Orange?
Roll 2 navel oranges of room temperature on the counter and apply light pressure but be careful to not break or crack the rind. This rolling process helps to loosen the juice from within the orange. Place both halves of the cut oranges in a press juicer and watch the magic happen.
Two juiced navel oranges provide a yield of approximately 1 cup.
ORANGE CRUSH COCKTAIL
Ingredients:
- 2 oz orange vodka
- 2 oz triple sec
- 1 oz fresh-squeezed orange juice
- ½ oz lemon-lime soda
Directions:
1.Combine vodka and triple sec in a pint glass with lots of crushed ice.
2. Pour fresh-squeezed orange juice directly into the glass.
3.Top with a splash of lemon-lime soda and drink immediately.
Orange Creamsicle Crush
Ingredients:
- 11/2 oz whipped cream vodka
- 4 oz fresh orange juice
- 11/2 oz orange vodka
- A splash of cream
- Orange wheel or a sugar rim for garnish
Directions:
1.Add whipped cream vodka, orange vodka, and orange juice in a glass and mix well.
2.Add crushed ice into another glass and pour this mixture over it.
3.Now add a splash of cream and garnish with an orange wheel.
Orange Crush Bomb
Ingredients:
- 2 oz orange vodka
- 1 oz orange liqueur
- 1 oz fresh orange juice
Directions:
1.Combine the orange vodka and liqueur in an ice-filled glass
- Pour the orange juice and shake well
Harvey Wallbanger
Ingredients:
- 11/2 oz vodka
- 3 oz fresh-squeezed orange juice
- ½ oz Galliano
Directions:
- Stir vodka and orange juice with ice in a glass.
- Float Galliano on top. Garnish with an orange twist or a maraschino cherry.
Summary
While this is the original recipe as created by the Harbourside bar and grill, there have been variations over the years as beachside bars tried to put their own spin on this classic. In doing so, several new variations were created. There are even some crushes created with a different base fruit such as the grapefruit crusher which uses ruby red vodka and grapefruit juice.