History
The bitter orange, also called sour orange, with the scientific name Citrus aurantium, is believed to be the ancestor of the sweet orange. It is also known as the Seville orange because the Moors cultivated it in large quantities near the city, and the name remained. Bitter oranges are smaller than sweet oranges.
Its tree, the bitter orange tree, is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia that produces a fruit similar to the orange, though smaller and more bitter. It later spread to Syria, Egypt, and Europe in the Mediterranean region through the Crusades.
Father Labat mentions it in his writings from the 17th century: “Sour oranges, or as they are called in the islands, sour, are the most common and the least valued. They are used only for sauces and to season meat and fish.”
Varieties
There are different varieties, though the exact number is unknown. The bitter orange tree can reach 15 meters and flowers continuously. Its leaves are evergreen, with a thorn at the base of the lower leaves.
The fruit resembles an orange but has a thicker, rougher rind, sometimes green, yellow, or orange. It can be ripe even with a green peel, which is often the case in Martinique. Beneath its thick white rind, it contains several segments wrapped in a thin white membrane. The yellowish pulp contains many seeds.
Depending on the variety, the fruit may be more or less rough and flattened. The pulp, divided into 10 to 12 segments, is bitter. It is smaller (7 to 8 cm in diameter) than the sweet orange, and its color ranges from orange to shades of green or yellow.
Medicinal properties
Bitter orange is known for its many medicinal virtues. It helps stimulate appetite, is effective in treating insomnia and anxiety, and helps prevent hemorrhagic accidents linked to hypertension.
It promotes weight loss and is used to treat dyspepsia, overwork, and melancholy.
It also has anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.
As a citrus fruit, bitter orange is a natural source of vitamin C and helps strengthen and energize the body.
It can also be used to treat acne, boils, and various skin conditions.
Uses
In Martinique, it is used to “clean fish” instead of lemon, or to prepare meat seasonings. Elsewhere in the world, it is mainly used in preserves or in the making of jams, marmalades, and syrups.
Highly fragrant, the bitter orange tree is used to produce orange blossom water and neroli water, both used in perfumery. The zest is used to make curaçao, bitters, Grand Marnier, and Cointreau.
Bitter orange is also used in the production of fat-burning capsules.
The fruits and leaves create foam and can be used as soap. The hard, white or light-yellow wood is used in woodworking and is even made into baseball bats in Cuba.
