The first mention of this fruit in Chinese annals appeared in the II-I centuries. BC. Citrus is also described in the mythology of ancient Greece. Once King Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring him from the orchards "golden apples" (oranges). According to him, they possessed youthful properties.
Learning is light: where did the name come from
The story of this fruit is quite funny. To start it, you need to go back to the Middle Ages. At a time when sailors were discovering new countries and actively exploring continents, food was not borrowed from the tribes found.
Until the 16th century, Europeans did not know about oranges at all. This happened a little later, and acquaintance with a bright orange fruit caused a sensation. The first to begin their distribution were the Portuguese. It was they who firmly strengthened the juicy and sweet orange in the diet of the local population, turning it into one of the most sought after.
As for Russia, the fruit came here thanks to Dutch merchants. In those days, China was one of the countries that almost everyone knew. Therefore, sellers said that an unknown fruit was brought from this eastern country. The version is so firmly entrenched in the heads of the population that no one tried to find out the truth. Hence the name appeared: from the Dutch appel (apple) and sein (Chinese).
That is, in a literal translation, an orange is a "Chinese apple."
Selection and storage
Such a popular fruit is no longer considered exotic. In supermarkets and grocery stores, citrus is presented in a rather large assortment. Use the tips below to choose the best quality product:
- pay attention to the peel: its color should be uniform and bright. In sweet varieties, it is smooth with small red spots;
- do not buy loose, deformed fruits;
- the heavier the orange, the juicier the flesh;
- If you have a pronounced navel at the top, be sure that you have a sweet and very tasty citrus.
As for storage, at home at room temperature the fruit will live up to 7 days. In the refrigerator, citrus will remain fresh for several weeks, it all depends on maturity. At a humidity of 90-95% and a temperature of 3-8 degrees, the shelf life can increase up to two months.
Benefit
The peel of fruits on average contains 2% of essential oil, which is actively used in the confectionery and perfumery industries.
Citrus has several advantages:
- It has an anti-aging effect on the body, tones, gives energy and gives strength;
- treats intestinal dysfunction (constipation);
- helps to cleanse the blood;
- useful for weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite and anemia (anemia);
- treats and prevents scurvy;
- it is recommended to use for atherosclerosis, obesity, hypertension, gout and liver diseases;
- dry orange peel is an excellent remedy for treating not only colds and coughs, but also breast diseases and tumors;
- the content of salicylic acid allows the fruit to be successfully used in the fight against fever.
Chemical composition
Everyone knows that in citruses a large number of vitamins of group B, A, C, PP, as well as many such trace elements as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron and calcium. Scientists nutritionists assure that, working together, they have a rejuvenating effect on the human body. In addition, not only fruit is useful, but also juice and even its peel.
Salicylic acid contained in the fruits, as mentioned earlier, helps to bring down the heat. Even in ancient times, doctors prepared such a drink: 3-4 fruit slices were poured with 50 ml of boiled water cooled to room temperature and insisted for 30 minutes.
Orange juice is the best way to heal wounds, and all thanks to the presence of organic salts (potassium citrate), gluten, sugar, citric acid in the composition.
But the main advantage of orange citrus is vitamin C. 150 grams of fruit contains 80 g of ascorbic acid, that is, the daily rate. What happens when vitamin C is lacking? First of all, a person will have chronic fatigue syndrome.
Returning to orange juice, it is worth noting that it contains volatile products. Their presence explains the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect, which contributes to the rapid healing of abscesses.
Catalog of oranges: type and varieties
Depending on the taste, size, color and pulp, the fruit is divided into 2 groups:
1. Light:
- oval or ordinary;
- umbilical.
2. Korolkovye.
So, the first, most extensive group includes the following main varieties:
- Gamlin - actively used in indoor floriculture.
- Verna - fruits of Spanish origin with tasty pulp and a small amount of seeds.
- Salustiana - oranges (photo below) of a late-ripening variety, oval-spherical in shape. Juicy slices have a very sweet taste and are seedless.
The second group includes:
- Washington Navel - bright orange fruits weighing from 170 to 300 grams. It is one of the popular varieties for home cultivation.
- I brought Late - ovoid fruits have flesh with a sweet taste and finely porous peel.
- Kara-Kara is a Washington Navel mutation that inherits most of its characteristics. The main difference is in the flesh of a ruby color that tastes like grapefruit.
Harm
In the use of any product, including fruits, there are always positive and negative sides. As for orange citrus, it can be extremely harmful to human health, and this is not a myth. Oranges are categorically not recommended for those who suffer from diseases of the digestive system, in particular a stomach ulcer.
In addition, their excessive use is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance (allergy) and diabetes. In the latter case, the ban is due to the fact that the fruit contains a large amount of sugar.
In all other cases, you can and even need to eat oranges!
5 citruses - 10 liters of juice
An interesting recipe has existed for a long time, and many do not believe that out of five fruits you can get as many as ten liters of a soft drink.
So, for starters, remove bitterness from fruits and remove wax. To do this, scald the oranges with boiling water, wipe it dry and for 2 hours (but preferably all night) send it to the freezer. Cut into slices together with a peel and pass through a meat grinder. Pour the resulting mass with 3 l of boiled water and let it brew for 10 minutes.
Now the juice needs to be filtered: first through a colander (to get rid of large pieces of pulp), and then through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, folded 5-6 times. Pour in another 6 liters of water, add 30 g of citric acid and 1 kg of sugar. Stir thoroughly until crystals are completely dissolved, bottle and leave for about an hour.
How to cook oranges in the oven
These fruit chips can be meditatively nibbled at night without fear for a figure. But it is best if you use them for New Year's decor. For example, as a beautiful and tasty Christmas tree decoration. It is worth warning that oranges are dried very slowly and for a long time, but they warm and fill the whole house with a pleasant Christmas aroma.
So, first turn on the oven. While it warms up to 130 ° C, cut 4 medium citruses into as thin circles as possible. Put them on a baking sheet covered with culinary parchment. Take the cloves and stick into each piece. Cinnamon can be placed nearby. Dry for two hours, periodically turning circles of citrus.
Following this method, you can use. except oranges, and lemons, and lime, grapefruit, and even apples.
Souffle from orange
Look at the photo: before you is a dessert that will impress not only with its amazing taste, but also with its appearance.
Of course, it’s easier to cook in special tins - this way the souffle rises easier, and it bakes much faster. But, following the instructions, cooking in a peel, you will get a more refined and beautiful look.
So, with four oranges, carefully cut off the top and clean out the insides. Transfer the flesh and juice to the bucket. Put on the stove, bring to a boil and boil twice over low heat.
While preparing the juice, separate the whites of 2 eggs from the yolks and put in the refrigerator. Also mix 20 g of corn starch with 40 g of powdered sugar. Once the juice has settled, add a mixture of dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to prevent clumping. Once the mass is uniform, remove the bucket from the stove, insert the yolks and beat very quickly so that they do not cook. Cool to room temperature.
Pour a pinch of salt into the proteins. Beat in a strong foam and add to the main mass. The result should be a smooth, uniform airy consistency.
Distribute the mixture in the “tins” 1/3 and bake for 18-20 minutes at t 180 .
Chocolate Caramelized Oranges
If you have not tried this dessert, then be sure that you will never forget its amazing taste again. The perfect combination of the tart sweetness of citrus and dark chocolate is something incredibly delicious! They literally melt in your mouth, leaving behind a unique feeling.
The most important thing is to make dessert easy, but you will have to be patient for a couple of hours. But no fuss!
To get started, take 5 oranges (homemade varieties are also suitable) and cut into 5 mm thick mugs. To get rid of bitterness, dip the fruit in boiling water for a few minutes. Pat it gently with a paper towel.
Then lay the citruses on the bottom of a deep dish, preferably a large diameter. In a separate bowl, heat 550 g of brown and 10 g of vanilla sugar, pre-fill the ingredients with 300 ml of water. Pour the resulting syrup to oranges and cook over low heat for about 1.5-2 hours. In the process, the liquid will evaporate, there is nothing to worry about, add water if necessary.
Carefully remove the circles and place on a baking sheet that has been pre-coated with cooking foil. Then for 20-25 minutes at a temperature of 90-100 ° C, we dry the fruits and make sure that they do not burn.
Oranges in caramel are ready, now the only thing left is small! Melt 250 g of dark chocolate in a microwave or in a water bath. Cover the tray, plate or board with cling film. Dip each slice of citrus in chocolate exactly half and transfer to the prepared surface. If desired, at the end you can sprinkle them with crushed nuts.
You need to store dessert in a cool, dry place by transferring it to a container or jar with a tightly screwed lid. Oranges will easily spend a couple of weeks there. But this is unlikely, because they are eaten much faster.