Folkington's Orange Recipe

Prepare oranges

Wash the oranges thoroughly under cold water to remove any wax or residue. Pat them dry.

Room temperature and rolling

Let the oranges sit for 5 minutes at room temperature if refrigerated. Roll each orange firmly on the countertop with the heel of your hand to loosen the juice (about 20–30 seconds per orange).

Cut and juice

Cut each orange in half crosswise. Using a citrus juicer (manual or electric), juice all halves into a fine-mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl. Press or stir the pulp in the strainer to extract as much juice as possible. You should yield roughly 2 to 2 1/2 cups (480–600 ml) of juice from 6 medium navel oranges.

Optional pulp control

If you prefer pulp-free juice, strain the juice a second time through a finer sieve or cheesecloth. For extra texture, reserve 2 tablespoons of the pulp and add back later.

Sweeten and brighten

Add the granulated sugar and fresh lemon juice to the strained orange juice. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. If the oranges are very sweet, start with 1 tsp sugar and adjust to taste.

Adjust consistency

If the juice tastes intensely concentrated, stir in up to 1 cup cold filtered water to adjust body and mouthfeel. Add water in 1/4-cup increments and taste until you reach the desired balance — Folkington's style is juicy and bright but not watery.

Chill

Fill a tall serving glass with ice cubes (about 1 cup). Alternatively, chill the prepared juice in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes if you prefer no dilution.

Serve

Pour the prepared orange juice over the ice if using. Garnish with an orange wheel on the rim and an optional mint sprig for aroma. Stir once gently and serve immediately.

Storage

Store any leftover juice in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Stir or shake before serving — fresh-squeezed juice will separate naturally.