Have you ever been confused with some of the names given to citrus fruits in the shops?
If so then here is a quick guide to some of the favourites and how they obtained their names.
The most popular little citrus over winter and early spring are the small round easy peel varieties these include the Mandarin (formally known as a tangerine), the Satsuma and the Clementine.
The Mandarin is the main variety originating from South East Asia, whilst the Satsuma came from Japan and the Clementine is a cross between a Mandarin and a bitter Seville orange.
The word Mandarin is from the French" Mandarin" named after the officials in Imperial China who wore robes similar in colour to the fruits.
The Tangerine is named after the port of Tangiers in Morocco once the centre of export for mandarin oranges hence the confusion between the two names.
Whilst the Satsuma obtained its name from the former province of the country in which it was grown.
Finally the Clementine is named after the French priest (Father Clement Dozier) who developed it at the beginning of the 20th century. It wasn't that many years ago that these fruits would be placed inside the Christmas stocking as a major treat, today we are lucky to have them available on a regular basis.
Oranges
It's undoubtedly the Orange that is the worlds favourite and used in all manner of ways.
The United States produces 16% of the world crop, with 90% going to make juice.
The word orange' derives from an Indian term meaning perfume from within'. It is also a word taken from the Arabic naranj'. For oranges to grow and flourish the winter temperature must not drop below 4oC (40oF).
HISTORICAL
The Spanish planted the first oranges (naranja) in America in the sixteenth century. The orange originated in the Far East and was cultivated by the Chinese for over four thousand years. The fruit was known to the Romans.
In the ancient Middle East bitter oranges were preserved in their skins in sugar and may well have been the forerunner of today's marmalade.
In Europe the orange was first grown some four hundred years ago on the estates of Duke Antoine de Bourbon. A French town was named after them, as it was the centre of the import trade. King Louis of France was to build the first orangerie, in Versailles/
A British king was credited with his love of oranges and that of the royal mistress, fruit seller Nell Gwynne.
The orange was first imported from Spain in 1290 but it was Sir Walter Raleigh who reintroduced them in the sixteenth century.
NUTRITIONAL GUIDE
One medium orange will supply more than the adult daily requirement of vitamin C.Oranges contain a good amount of vitamin C, which helps to make collagen, essential for healthy skin and the maintenance of the body's defences.The pith of an orange may also help to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
