Citrus fruits, the wonderful coloured jewels of ornamental flowering trees and shrubs, are incorporated into many peoples diets all over the world. Whether they are used to create a deliciously tart lemon pie, added to lighten a rich meat dish or simply enjoyed just as it is, there is no denying that citrus fruits are unique, original and full of limitless possibilities.
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact origins of the citrus fruit, but it has taken quite a journey from its early beginnings. The most common types of citrus fruits we know today that are available year-round are hybrids, of four types – the pomelo, mandarin, citron and papeda.
The earliest recordings of citrus, in particular, sweet oranges can be found in Chinese literature around 314BC. Oranges, a cross between pomelo and mandarin, are the most popular citrus in the world and are available throughout the year with varying types available according to the different seasons. Popular sweet varietals of oranges today include the Navel (identified by its navel looking bottom), Valencia and the Blood Orange, a seasonal variety possessing a wonderful crimson coloured flesh.
From Asia, the Arabs influenced the journey of oranges to the Mediterranean around the 7th Century. This bitter and sour variety of orange, originally from India, was mainly used for medicinal purposes through aromatics or used as an added ingredient to dishes but it was not eaten on its own. The bitter orange is commonly known as Seville and is used to make marmalade and liquors. Other types of bitter oranges are bergamot, a popular oil added to Earl Grey Tea and Chinotto, an important bitter element in Italian liquors and digestifs.
Credit @gaanasrini
It was not until the latter part of the 15th Century when oranges became popular in the Mediterranean. This was due to the introduction of the Persian orange, a sweet variety of orange that was introduced by Portuguese traders.
Christopher Columbus was quite possibly responsible for transporting the very first orange tree seeds to the Americas in the late 15th Century and the Spanish contributed the spread and growth of orange trees through Central America and South America in the mid-1500s. Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, the Spanish explorer who discovered St Augustine, Florida in 1565, was most likely responsible for the journey of oranges to the United States, which is the second-largest orange producer in the world. These days oranges are cultivated around the world in Europe, America, Australia and South Africa.
From the Sanskrit word nāraṅga meaning orange tree, the name of the vibrant spherical fruit was then called Naranja in Spanish, taken after the Arabic word nāranaj. In Old French, Orenge is then translated to Orange as we know it today in English. Oranges are an extremely vitamin-rich fruit that can be used in many cooking applications.
I have used some Egyptian oranges in this recipe that calls for one of my favourite and unique spices – cardamom. The bottom of the cake layered with wheels of orange and buttered marmalade ends up being the decorative top of the cake. All is needed is a good scoop of thick double cream.
