The rain in Seville is pure wonder, but the bitter oranges that you see at the end of winter in its streets are not, or not a gastronomic wonder that we can eat in peace. It does not happen only to SevilleOf course, but to all those cities in the eastern and southern peninsula that are harnessed with lustrous orange trees.
However, contrary to what it might seem, the reasons why they cannot be consumed in a normal way are more varied than we usually believe. Certain reasons allude to the kind of orange tree of which it is, because it is not pleasant to eat as it is.
Others, in addition, also point to the urban environment where these oranges grow and which, logically, is not the most suitable for any type of edible product. However, that does not mean that they are highly valued trees in the Andalusian streets.
Impossible not to think about him fresh smell of orange blossom that impregnates the streets or in the juicy oranges that oscillate between its branches, always being careful not to drop any of these pieces or, even worse, trip over them.
However, we should not be eating these oranges normally for a simple organoleptic reason: they are bitter. Sometimes known as border oranges, bitter oranges are the fruit of the citrus aurantium or bitter orange, which is the ‘surly’ brother of Citrus × sinensis (Chinese orange or sweet orange) and from which we do eat its fruits.
That does not mean that at an ornamental level, these orange trees are very lucid, but their fruit is extremely bitter and not very tasty on the palate, which is why its use is not intended for fresh consumption. However, it is common for these types of oranges to be used industrially to make jams or use their leaves for teas, and their essential oils are used in perfumery and cosmetics.
However, the main destination of all these street oranges is natural fertilizer after become compostbecause oranges are not suitable for human consumption either —whether sweet or bitter— because the orange skin absorbs harmful gases from urban pollution —such as lead— which makes it unfeasible for us to enjoy it as is.
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Eye! We are only talking about the oranges on the street. There is cultivated bitter oranges for this purpose to be converted into jams and preserves that can be taken without problems. As long as we are clear about what its nuances are going to be.
Images | iStock bbsferrari / iStock Alena Kravchenko
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