Bitter orange

What it is

A bitter orange is about 7–8 cm (2¾–3⅛ in) across, with a thick, scented peel. Seville oranges have a pebbled, dark-orange surface. Inside, the fruit divides into 10–12 segments, with strongly acidic flesh, seeds and bitter segment walls. Both the rind and the juice have a place in cooking.

Where it comes from

Bitter orange comes from Southeast Asia, despite its Spanish name. It was growing around Seville by the late 1100s, and Spaniards later brought it to St. Augustine, Florida.

Its growing regions extend through southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East to India, and across the Atlantic to Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Brazil. England and Scotland became destinations for fruit grown for marmalade.

How it's eaten where it grows

In England and Scotland, the fruit becomes marmalade. In Spain, the juice seasons meat. Dominican agrio de naranja takes another route: sour-orange juice holds hot peppers, garlic, oregano and other herbs, making a sharp sauce served with sancocho, a hearty stew.

Around Savona on the Italian Riviera, small chinotto oranges become candied fruit or fruit in syrup. They first soak in brine, then are cleaned and boiled in successively stronger sugar syrups.

How it's grown

The evergreen tree can reach 9 m (30 ft), carrying thorns and strongly scented white flowers. It grows in subtropical climates and tolerates brief frost.

Bitter orange also supplies roots for sweet-orange trees. Nursery growers raise seedlings for one or two years, then graft sweet-orange buds onto them. The bitter-orange seedling becomes the rootstock: the lower part that supports the grafted tree.

When and where you'll find it

At Riverside in California, Seville oranges usually ripen from January through March. In the US, whole Seville oranges travel by mail from growers such as California’s Pearson Ranch, in 5-pound (2.3 kg) lots. Bottled bitter-orange juice turns up in Caribbean and some Asian stores.