Seville Oranges

Inventory, 40 lbs : 0
This item was last sold on : 03/09/13

Seasons/Availability

Seville oranges have a brief winter season.

Current Facts

The Seville orange is a sour orange variety that is used more as a rootstock for other citrus than it is for cultivating its own fruits. Though sour oranges once had wide commercial success, their exposure is far more limited due to the demand for sweet and low acid oranges and other more palatable citrus varieties.

Description/Taste

Although the Seville orange smells like a true orange, it does not have many other obvious award winning virtues. Its rough, thick and bumpy deep orange colored peel clings tightly to its pale orange translucent flesh, making it hard to peel. It is sour, tart, sometimes bitter and laden with seeds. It has two primary attributes: the peel contains fragrant essential oils and its flesh, when ripe is extremely juicy. The most common usage for the Seville orange is for the production of marmalade where it can use its peel and juice to its advantage; any sour and bitter flavors can be developed and enriched into elements of depth.

Applications

Seville oranges are most commonly used for orange marmalade. Use the zest and juice in flavored sugars or salts, syrups, cocktails, vinaigrette or marinades. Pair with fennel, bitter greens, chicories, olives, other citrus, fresh herbs, aged cheeses, seafood, rice, and Spanish spices. Seville oranges will keep, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.

Geography/History

Sour oranges are native to China. Trade routes brought them to Africa and the Mediterranean in the 10th Century. Cultivation of sour orange varieties led to the Seville orange of Seville, Spain in the 12th Century, where it would accrue its name. The Seville orange was the only orange variety in Europe for the next 500 years. It was also one of the first citrus varieties brought to the New World where it was naturalized in the Caribbean, South, Central and North America. When sweet oranges were introduced to America, sour orange trees would begin to shift their role as edible fruit to rootstock. Cross pollination of the sour and sweet orange trees also proved to create bitter fruits in sweet orange varieties which forced farmers to reduce production of sour orange trees.


Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Seville Oranges. One is easiest, three is harder.

Simply Recipes		Seville Orangeade
The Cottage Smallholder		Easy Seville Orange Marmalade
The Cottage Smallholder		Gilbert’s Seville Orange Gin
Dressing for Dinner		Seville Orange Cupcakes with Seville Buttercream Icing
Hunter Angler Gardener Cook		Cretan Olives with Seville Oranges
Everybody Likes Sandwiches		Bitter Orange Ice Cream
The British Larder		Seville Orange and Vanilla Bean Marmalade
Herbivoracious		Paella Cakes with Manchego and Candied Seville Orange Peel
The British Larder		Raw Salad of Fennel, Seville Orange, Chicory and Kohlrabi
The British Larder		Raw Salad of Fennel, Seville Orange, Chicory and Kohlrabi

Recently Spotted
People have spotted Seville Oranges using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.

Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.

Whole Foods Market Near Lake Grove, New York, United States About 80 days ago Whole Foods Market Near Lake Grove, New York, United States About 91 days ago Specialty Produce Near San Diego, California, United States About 132 days ago Spotter's comments : Seville oranges , first pick short season. Perfect for marmalade.