Orange with red pulp. Bloody, Sicilian orange useful properties, description

On the plane, the Russians look with interest at the cups of dark red liquid being carried by the flight attendant. Russians love tomato juice. But they don't make tomato juice in Italy. "How can you drink diluted pasta sauce?" Italians are surprised. The glasses contain red orange juice, the color of which is so thick and saturated that it really resembles a tomato drink, beloved in Russia.

On an airplane, at least in the economy class cabin, juice is poured from bags. In high-end hotels such as Rome and Milan, freshly squeezed blood orange juice is an important character in breakfast. And not just breakfast. If you ask for juice here, first of all they will offer a really bloody, almost burgundy fresh juice, amazing sweetness and density, amazing aroma and taste.

First comes the surprise: orange juice? Really orange. Only much, much sweeter and tastier than ordinary orange juice. With a taste of cherries, raspberries, strawberries and grapes.

"Bloody" orange is one of the many highlights of Italy, another surprise that this amazing country presents to the traveler. You can, of course, try the fruit or juice itself outside of Italy, but it grows only here and only on the island of Sicily.

Where oranges grow

In Sicily, journalists are welcomed by the organizers of the trip. The founders of the company are builders who participated in the restoration of Messina after the largest earthquake in Sicily in 1908. Now they are completely refurbishing a very beautiful and very valuable historic building in Syracuse. (I, like many others, used to think that the city of Syracuse is in Greece. It turns out - in Sicily). Note that three of the eight hotels of our kind hosts are located where red oranges grow. This is no accident!

On the bus that takes us to the hotel, uniformed waiters serve champagne and small bright red cups of dessert. This is a red orange jelly garnished with a sprig of mint. Sweet, rich, thick. Amazing - I ate three!

oranges and mafia

The real symbol of Sicily is the "blood" orange. And not a bloody mafia. “All the tourists who come to Sicily ask about the mafia,” locals complain. But the mafia is no longer interesting. After the introduction of the law on mafia activity in 1985, the mafia lost its former strength and significance, because it ceased to be associated with politics. The remnants of the mafia have gone underground, where they are supposed to be. Now they don’t shoot in the streets, as it was in the 80s.” According to the inhabitants of the island, the Sicilian mafia is more of a replicated image that stuck to Sicily just as bears and vodka probably stuck to Russia forever.

Those oranges are really interesting. By the way, oranges and the mafia are inextricably linked, as an attentive viewer of the film "The Godfather" could see. In every episode leading up to death, an orange appears here. “The ritual of entering a new member into a mafia family is really connected with oranges,” says Irina Bogdanova, who was born in St. Petersburg, married a Sicilian and has been working here as a guide for more than 10 years. “Only these are not red oranges, but a bitter ornamental variety that can be found everywhere on the streets of Sicily.” Oranges and lemons are really everywhere on the island: in the fields along the roads, in the courtyards of tourist bungalows. The Sicilians look indulgently at tourists from the Nordic countries who can't resist picking the tempting fruit. They themselves use these oranges and lemons exclusively for decorative purposes. For example, in the restaurant of one of the hotels, the tables are decorated with a composition of lemons. Instead of flowers. A large yellow pimply fruit accompanies letters of welcome and "compliments" from the hotel management. Cute, original and once again emphasizes that you are not somewhere else, but in Sicily. The hotel could probably use oranges too, but apparently they are afraid that Russian tourists who are well acquainted with the Coppola film will worry about the mafia. “Initiation into the mafia happened like this,” Irina continues, referring to a well-known Sicilian historian and expert on the mafia. “When a new member joins a crime family, he goes through a ceremony in which the blood from a cut on the arm of the new Mafioso is mixed with bitter-sour orange juice. The ritual has been completed. To those who violate the laws of Cosa Nostra, an orange is placed as a warning (as it was shown in the brilliant crime saga). So it is better for tourists not to touch these fruits, especially since others grow in Sicily - the best oranges in the world.

The best oranges in the world

“The best oranges in the world grow here,” says our bus driver. “The best oranges in the world grow in Sicily,” says our hotel's celebrity chef. So say citrus specialists, fruit suppliers and gourmet connoisseurs all over the world. This is the variety "Sanguinella" (Sanguinelli) - brown fruits, burgundy pulp, solid juice. They grow only in Sicily and only in the three Sicilian provinces located near Etna: Catania, Syracuse and Enna.

When we climb Mount Etna, oranges literally peek into the windows of cars. Here they are grown on an industrial scale. We stop at a waterfall and on the way to it we pick up oranges from the ground. They are small, smaller than usual. They are easy to clean, like tangerines, and generally look like tangerines. The peel is dark orange, they say, sometimes it is a purple hue. The color of the pulp is dark burgundy, very rich, in some fruits almost purple. And the taste ... We have already tried to describe the taste, but words are not enough here - you need to try ... We collect the fruits in a bag, this is not forbidden. Rising a little higher, in the tourist parking lot we see stalls with oranges at 2 euros per kilogram. For 1 euro, the girl offers a glass of "tomato" juice. But we already understand everything correctly.

In fact, “bloody varieties” oranges (we know them by the name “kinglet”) are grown not only in Sicily, but also in some other regions of Italy, in Spain, Morocco, California and Florida (USA). But the Sanguinella variety grows only in Sicily, and oranges of other varieties never and nowhere turn out as red as in Sicily. At best, orange with red streaks. And they do not have those unique shades of taste. And not as useful as the Sicilian ones. Experts have not yet come to final conclusions, but they are inclined to think that the mystery of Sicilian oranges is associated with a combination of a unique climate and soil features, actively flavored with Etna's volcanic ash.

Natural and versatile

Oranges in Sicily are harvested from February to June. They reach maroon color at full maturity. Less mature ones are orange with red streaks, but, interestingly, the juice from them is still red. Maybe not as sweet, but still very tasty. “In Moscow, Sicilian oranges are sold from January to March,” says Irina Doroshenko. “The March ones are the ripest, the most delicious.” 10 years ago, Irina worked in the same distribution company that was the first to bring to Russia a unique Sicilian fruit “for testing” - 20 boxes of 10 kilograms. “We were completely fascinated by them,” she admits. “Red, sweet, just filled with juice. We ate them!”

Interestingly, Dutch suppliers offered to try this product. And even now, when sales are increasing every year, oranges are most often transported by truck from Holland. Airplanes from Italy less often, it's more expensive. And the driver of our bus in Sicily complained to us that a lot of the crop was wasted. Workers for picking citrus fruits are very expensive; farming has now become unprofitable. Sometimes foreigners help out, including Ukrainians. It's embarrassing to hear this.

It happens that unpicked oranges remain hanging on the trees for quite a long time, they become drier, lose their sweetness, but they can still be eaten. “But the fruits already taken from the trees are practically not stored, the ripe pulp begins to ferment quickly and acquire a wine taste,” says Irina Doroshenko. – They are neither stored nor treated with wax. Therefore, the distinctive feature of fruits (besides the taste!) is impeccable freshness and impeccable naturalness. Another feature of the Sicilian blood orange is its versatility. This is practically the only variety that is equally good for both juicing and eating. As you know, varieties of oranges are divided into juice and table, and now most manufacturers are trying to indicate this on the label. Red does not need such marking. Blood oranges are also used to make sweet meat sauces and are often used in salads. But Irina is somewhat skeptical about the frills-variations - first you need to thoroughly taste what nature has given. The first initiates, she advises, should first enjoy the juice, and then just eat the fruit. And after eating, make a magnificent dessert from the "bloody" orange - sherbet. We join the advice of Irina. It is better to start eating Sicilian oranges in Sicily.

Orange is a tree that belongs to the genus citrus of the rue family.

An orange tree reaches a height of 3-12 meters or more, it lives and bears fruit for decades.

The orange flower is white and fragrant. Flowers are arranged in groups, usually six in one inflorescence, in some varieties they are protected by axillary shields.

The progenitors of this plant (pomelo and mandarin) once grew exclusively in eastern Burma and southwestern China. These places are the birthplace of the orange.

The fruit of an orange is a spherical or elongated fruit, which consists of several lobes, inside of which there are seeds. The flesh is covered with a thick orange or orange-red rind (yellow or green in some varieties).

INTERESTING! From a botanical point of view, the fruits of the orange tree simultaneously fit both the definition "fruit", so "multiple berry".

The pulp of the fruit has a peculiar citrus smell and a sweet and sour taste, it contains sugar, up to 2% citric acid, many useful trace elements and vitamins (A, C, vitamins of group B). The diameter of ripened fruits is different in different varieties and ranges from 5 to 12 cm.

The peel of the fruit contains orange oil, which has been used for centuries as an aromatic additive in perfumery and as a natural flavoring for confectionery products.

The crown of all varieties of trees is compact and rounded. Branches often have thin, straight spines. Orange leaves are dense, thick, leathery, dark green, they have an elongated, oval shape. The leaves are 5-7 cm long and 2-3 cm wide.

Like all trees growing in the tropics and subtropics, the orange takes root deep into the soil, which makes it possible to grow this fruit in conditions of periodic droughts.

INTERESTING! There are cases when orange trees grew and fruited up to 150 years.

Species and varieties

The orange tree was obtained by crossing the mandarin and pomelo hundreds of years ago. Through many years of experience breeders have bred hundreds of varieties of wood. Among them there are types of oranges that can grow not only on agricultural plantations, but also in a greenhouse or a city apartment. Consider the most common varieties of orange - photos of plants.

Sicilian orange

In Sicily, since the 18th century, several varieties of orange with dark red, purple and beet-red flesh have been bred. These are the Tarocco, Sanguinelloi and Moro varieties, which was recently bred. It is believed that the red color of the fruits is given by the chemical elements of soils of volcanic origin. All similar varieties of oranges are united by the name.

Washington Nevil (Washingtoh Navel)

The Washington Nevil variety has large, weighing up to half a kilogram, spherical or elliptical fruits with a relief, rough or smooth skin. The peel of the fruit is usually thick (4-6 mm), it is orange, yellowish-orange, reddish-orange.

Sweet and sour cellular pulp has a pleasant smell. The flesh is also colored orange. The fruits usually have a "navel", which is essentially a secondary fruit. This variety is very prolific both on plantations and in a greenhouse or apartment. The fruits do not contain seeds Therefore, the plant is propagated exclusively by cuttings.

REFERENCE! At, the Washington Nevil variety is resistant to shading, but only bears fruit on the sunny side.

Valencia Late

The fruits of this common orange are round in shape, their size is from 70 to 78 mm, the fruit contains a lot of sugar, so the taste of the pulp is more sweet than sweet and sour. Valencia oranges have a wonderful taste. The pulp contains seeds, 1 to 9 seeds per fruit.

The variety has a thin, bright orange skin, with small red patches and orange flesh. Valencia was cultivated in Spain for centuries, but in the middle of the 19th century it was taken up by California breeders, who got a modern prolific look.

Valencia leading in the world as a raw material for the production of juices, which, last but not least, contributes to the bright color of the pulp.

Oval

Orange Oval (Ovale) tastes like the taste of the Valencia variety. Bred by Ovale in Italy. The fruits have an elongated, oval shape, a peel of medium thickness and contain few seeds.

The peel adjoins to slices of pulp very densely. The skin surface is finely rough. The size of the fruits is average, they reach 6.5 - 7.5 cm in length. There are fruits in which the seeds are completely absent.

The tree grows slowly sensitive to seasonal temperature changes and droughts, but under favorable conditions (including a greenhouse), a tree can be very productive.

Tarocco (Tarocco)

Tarocco - one of the varieties of Sicilian orange. Compared to other red-fleshed species bred in Sicily, its flesh is the lightest. The red color of the lobules is distributed unevenly, in the form of stripes and spots. In the fruits of Tarocco very few seeds. Often there are none at all.

It is a very sweet and aromatic fruit. Gardeners say that of all types of orange, Tarosso is the sweetest and juiciest. The skin of the fruit is thin, and red pigmentation is often visible against the orange background of the peel. Tarosso fruits contain more vitamin C than all other types. small tree grows well in a greenhouse and in a city apartment.

Boo (Bu)

Boo oranges are grown on the plantations of Vietnam, in the subtropical and tropical regions of the country. The peel of the fruit is of medium thickness and moderate relief. The fruits have a bright orange color and a slightly elongated shape. This variety is very prolific. The flesh of the orange is also orange, the taste of the fruit is sour-sweet or sweet, the fruits have a wonderful aroma.

Royal (King orange)

Vietnamese variety The King orange has a thick, ribbed dark green to bright green skin and yellow flesh. These oranges are usually large (9-12 cm in diameter) and 7-9 lobes with several pits inside the fruit.

The fruits are spherical, weight reaches 350-400 grams. Royal orange is very juicy and has a delicate sweet taste. The fruits grow in clusters on small trees with long flexible branches, one and a half to two meters high, each tree brings large yields. Royal orange plantations are located mainly in the south and in the central part of Vietnam.

IMPORTANT! To get a guaranteed result, it is better to purchase orange seedlings in nurseries.

Benefit and harm

How useful is an orange for the body and what vitamins does the fruit contain? The benefit of an orange is that, in addition to citric acid and sugar, the pulp contains fiber, phytoncides, trace elements, various carbohydrates, ash, and flavonoids. in the pulp a lot of potassium, calcium and phosphorus, nitrogen-containing compounds and pectin. Oranges contain a lot of vitamin C (60-67 mg%), B vitamins and provitamin A. There are a lot of essential oils in the peel.

Medicinal properties of orange

Oranges are recommended use for bacterial and viral diseases different nature.

These fruits help healthy people strengthen immunity and improve metabolism in the body.

The usefulness of oranges is important for those who suffer from fluctuations in blood pressure, their substances stabilize cholesterol levels.

REFERENCE! Vitamin C is also useful for those who suffer from diseases of the nervous system, thyroid gland, it is necessary for people who are on diets in order to lose weight.

Contraindications

What harm do oranges conceal - contraindications to the use of these fruits? This is, first of all, individual intolerance and an allergic reaction of the body to citrus fruits. oranges can't eat with gastritis(flowing with high acidity), stomach ulcers and any bowel disease. Citric acid in large quantities leads to the destruction of tooth enamel.

Care

When growing an orange tree at home read all instructions carefully, which are issued by nurseries along with the seedling.

These are the requirements for the container in which the orange will be planted, soil preparation, temperature conditions, preparation and application of top dressing.

Only competent care for it will help to grow a tree and get fruits.

An orange tree grown at home is pleasing to the eye and is the pride of an amateur gardener. And, of course, it's always nice to taste the fruits of your labors.

Useful video

On the care of citrus fruits, including orange, it will be useful to watch the following video:

Red, Sicilian orange, also called blood orange or blood orange, is one of the varieties of sweet orange, cultivated in Europe since the 15th century.

The plant got its name because of the unusual color of the fruit, the flesh of which, depending on the variety, can be intense red, burgundy or orange, and the peel can be brown or dark orange.

This color is due to the presence of plant pigments, anthocyanins, and its intensity varies depending on the variety and growing conditions.

Description and photo of red orange

The red orange (see photo below) is a small tree with a pyramidal crown and oval, medium-sized, slightly ribbed fruits weighing up to 250 g with an easily detachable peel. The pulp is juicy, coarse-grained, with few seeds, has a delicate sweet taste.

For the first time, red-fleshed oranges appeared on the island of Sicily, and at first they were cultivated only there, which is why they began to be called Sicilian oranges. Currently, they are grown throughout Italy, as well as in Spain, Morocco, and are very popular in the USA, where they grow in the states of California and Florida.

Note that although anthocyanins, which give fruits such an original color, are often found in fruits and flowers, they are practically not found in other types of citrus fruits. Why red oranges appeared in Sicily is not exactly known.

There is a hypothesis that this was facilitated by a combination of the climatic conditions of the island and the unique composition of its soil, due to the proximity of Mount Etna. And now, despite the prevalence of kinglets in the world, those grown in the provinces of Catania, Syracuse and Enna, located directly near the famous volcano of Sicily, are considered the most delicious.

Climatic conditions are so important for these varieties that plants with intense fruit pigmentation transferred to another area can completely lose it. The habitat of the variety is quite narrow, it is limited to areas with a dry climate and a significant difference in night and day temperatures in the autumn-winter period, which is just typical for Sicily.

What is the name of the variety of red orange?

Currently, Spanish kinglets are most often grown in the world:

Tarocco (Tarocco), the most common of the red oranges, with round fruits weighing 150-200g. The bright orange skin with red veins is thin, fine-grained, and easily removed. The flesh is orange-red, has a sweet and sour taste with a berry tint. Ruby-colored juice, moderately sour, differs, like the fruit as a whole, in an exceptionally high content of vitamin C.

Sanguinello (Sanguinelli), refers to the "double" kings, because it has red pulp, juice and peel. The fruits are medium in size, elongated or round in shape, less pigmented than other varieties. It has an intensely orange peel with a red tint of medium thickness and granularity, easily separated from the pulp. The pulp itself is bright red, practically without seeds, has a delicate, delicate taste, it has less acid and anthocyanins compared to other beetles. The color of the juice is red-orange. The variety is late maturing, ripens after the red oranges of the Tarocco and Moro varieties are harvested, and is valued as a transitional variety. It has long been grown on plantations in the provinces of Catania and Syracuse in Sicily, it is believed that it is here that its fruits have the best taste.

There is a variety, sanguinello muscat, which is characterized by larger and elongated fruits, a less intense color and a taste with a pronounced nutmeg tint.

Moreau (Moro), the earliest ripening and most pigmented of the kinglets cultivated in Italy and Spain. The fruits are oval, medium in size, with a bright orange peel, by the time of full maturity they are covered with red-violet pigmented spots. The thickness of the peel and the degree of graininess are medium, sometimes there is a small navel. The color of the flesh is dark red, almost black, especially in the upper part of the fruit, where dark veins are clearly visible. Seeds are missing. The fruits are juicy, in the ripe form of a pleasant taste, overripe fruits have a strong smell and an unpleasant taste. The juice is dark red, contains the largest amount of anthocyanins and acid compared to other beetles.

Local varieties of red-fleshed oranges

On the territory of the countries of the former USSR, red oranges usually do not ripen, since they belong to the group of late-ripening ones.

Winter recruiting post, where to look for vitamins in the most affordable fruits now - citrus fruits. Briefly and to the point about each representative of this genus.

All citrus fruits are rich in vitamins C, group B, most of them contain vitamin P, and kumquats also contain provitamin A. In addition, all citrus fruits contain valuable sugars, trace elements of potassium, calcium and phosphorus and organic acids. If you look at citrus fruits in a section, they all consist of peel(actually, the zest), the bitter-tasting white layer surrounding the fruit is called mezdra, followed by films membranes, a thin transparent layer separating the slices from each other and themselves slices- Juicy citrus pulp.

oranges

There are sour and sweet varieties of oranges. The most common variety in the world can be called “ navel" or " neveline“. It is a sweet pitted orange, having in its lower part (in place of the flower) a characteristic outgrowth in the form resembling a navel (“navel” - English “navel”). Juicy, sweet and sour.

Also popular is the variety “ jaffa” - an Israeli variety of “navel” (a part is used in salads, as an appetizer), - both a variety and “ valencia“, sweet, juicy, thick-skinned oranges.

Blood (red) orange owes its color to the selection of orange tree with pomegranate.

These are juicy oranges with thin skins and sweet red flesh. They are eaten fresh, added to salads or made into juice.

Pomeranian– orange variety “ sevil“, is also known as bigaradia, sour or Seville orange.

These oranges are used to make marmalade (along with zest), as well as orange liqueurs - Cointreau, Grand Marinier and Curacao base.

Kumquat- a very small relative of the common orange. Fruit size is about 2-4 cm.

These are juicy fruits with a bright citrus slightly sour taste. Kumquats are often used in cooking or candied. Fresh fruits are eaten with the peel.

Mandarin- a close relative of the orange, with a more refined taste and an easy-to-peel peel.

Tangerines are eaten fresh, made into juice, added to fruit salads, pies, marmalades. Dried tangerine zest is also used in Chinese cuisine.

Clementine- crossed mandarin with North African (originally) oranges.

The fruits have a dense, fragrant peel and juicy sweet pulp with a slight sourness. Clementines are used in the same way as tangerines.

Lemon is one of the most important and commonly used citrus fruits. Their aroma and sour taste complements both sweet and savory dishes.

In cooking, both freshly squeezed lemon juice and the peel of the fruit, which contains aromatic essential oils, are used. Juice is used as a base for sauces and salad dressings, in meat and fish dishes, pies, marmalades are made from whole lemons or candied slices, added to soups, creams, etc.

If you will be using lemon zest, choose unwaxed fruit.

Lime- smaller fruits than lemon, also more acidic and more aromatic. Lime is often used in Thai, Indonesian, Mexican cuisine.

Lime juice is an ingredient in many sauces and cocktails. Along with tequila, lime juice is a classic margarita ingredient.

Grapefruit not inferior in popularity to oranges. There are many varieties in the world that differ in size, color and sweetness. Most types of grapefruit have a rich yellow skin, sometimes with a pink tint, and the color of the flesh is from pale yellow to pink or even burgundy.

The redder the grapefruit, the more sugar it contains. Unlike other citrus fruits, grapefruit juice and zest are rarely used in cooking (because of the harsh taste that comes out). Grapefruits are eaten fresh, added to salads, made into juice.

Ugli- not very pretty, but very tasty hybrid of grapefruit, orange and orange.

The size of the fruit is slightly smaller than that of grapefruits. The rind of the agli is yellow-green, the color of the pulp is orange. The fruits have an excellent sweet taste.

pomelo- large (larger than grapefruit) fruits with a light thick skin with juicy, slightly sour pulp of light green color.

Pomelo is eaten fresh both separately and as part of fruit salads. The taste of the pomelo is not pronounced, which allows you to experiment with combinations.

Sweety (or oroblanco)- a hybrid of pomelo and light grapefruit, the peel is thick, the color of the pulp is from light yellow to pinkish. It was created in 1984 with one goal - to make grapefruit sweeter.

Due to the thick skin and large amount of mezra, the sweetie never became a very popular fruit. The pulp of the fruit is juicy, sweet with a subtle bitterness and sourness, reminiscent of zest. Sweets are eaten fresh on their own or as part of vegetable salads.

It would seem that what could be more common than an orange? But even these fruits can surprise, for example, not everyone knows about the presence of a familiar orange ball of a bloody relative. But how useful are red oranges, is it worth chasing an unusual color, or is it better to prefer long-familiar fruits?

How is a red orange different from a normal one?

Such fruits are grown in Morocco, the USA, China and Spain, and the name is due to the deep shade of the pulp and crimson peel. The fruits are slightly smaller than the usual oranges, and the taste is of a completely different order. It combines fantastic citrus tones of strawberries, raspberries and grapes. Because of the aroma of the zest, it is used in cooking, and not just the pulp, the flowers of the red orange are also given attention. The fruits are eaten fresh, their juice is used, the crushed peel is added to meat, fish or liqueurs, flowers are used to decorate dishes and add to them to give the taste an original shade.

The health benefits and harms of red oranges

These fruits favorably differ from their counterparts not only in their original taste and tempting color, but in them there are much more elements necessary for the body. For example, one red fruit contains the daily norm. There are also vitamins A, group B, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium, as well as antioxidants - faithful defenders against free radicals.

Thanks to such a saturation of substances important for health, scientists thought about the benefits and harms of red oranges. Their studies have shown a positive effect on the heart and blood vessels, restoring normal pressure and improving mental activity. The high calcium content helps maintain healthy teeth and bones, while beta-carotene, combined with thiamine, protects cells from damage and makes it easier to get energy from food.

This enumeration of the benefits of red oranges does not end there. They provide powerful support to the immune system, fight inflammation and viruses, and contribute to the development. Such abilities allow the use of fruits in the treatment of rheumatism, asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis, bronchitis and pneumonia. Lovers of red oranges will be able to note the improvement of digestion, stimulation of appetite, reduction of fatigue, cholesterol and swelling. Thanks to the removal of toxins, the body becomes more resilient and resistant to various stresses. Juice helps with anemia, colds diseases, atherosclerosis, colitis, constipation, tumors and flatulence, and also perfectly disinfects the entire oral cavity. In addition, the calorie content of fruits is very low (36 kcal per 100 grams), so they can be a good helper in the fight against excess weight.

But you should not recklessly be seduced by the health benefits of red oranges, they can also cause harm with gastritis with high acidity and ulcers. A large amount of sugar also imposes a restriction on the consumption of such fruits. Also, do not abuse red oranges if you are prone to allergies and during breastfeeding.