Sour oranges in the US bring back Caribbean memories – The Philadelphia Tribune

Gone are the days when we Caribbean people have to wait for a trip back home to enjoy our favorite fruits and produce. During a recent trip to a local supermarket, I browsed around in the produce section when my eyes landed on a familiar citrus fruit. That couldnt be what I think it is; and as I got closer my suspicions were accurate. I saw a box of sour oranges in the international foods section. The sight of these sour oranges immediately activated my taste buds. Why or how? It was amazing that the memories of my parents juicing the very same fruit that they practically had to force me to drink for cleansing made the memories wash across my mind. The taste of this thing was not pleasant at all nor was it very appealing to a childs taste buds.

The sour orange (Citrus Aurantium) is also known as Seville orange, bigarade orange and also bitter orange. This is a citrus fruit that is native to Southeast Asia and was brought to the Caribbean by European settlers. Many historians say that most of the fruits we enjoy in the Caribbean were introduced by new settlers from all over the world. Since the sour orange plant seems to thrive best near small streams in wooded areas, tropical countries provided an ideal habitat. Sour oranges are also found growing in many wooded areas in the state of Florida.

For most Caribbean people, the memories of homemade marmalade and jams made from sour oranges are forever etched in their minds. Most recall two thick slices of hard dough bread with lumps of marmalade or jam in between with a long glass of sour orange punch (made like lemonade). The sugar made it taste so much better. For others, marmalade on crackers was mmm-mmm good.

Janet White, who grew up in the eastern part of Jamaica, stated, I remember how I learned to appreciate the sour yet slightly bitter flavor of my moms special homemade punch.

Back in the old days when I walked to and from school was when I appreciated it the most, she continued. Walking in the hot Caribbean sun drained my energy so I looked forward to quenching my thirst with a long, cold glass of my mothers sour orange-flavored punch. It was delicious.

On the other hand, Yvonne Downie a resident of the Overbrook section of Philadelphia recalls a family recipe for upset stomach. One or two egg whites, a teaspoon of grated nutmeg and a tablespoon of brandy was added to about 4 ounces of sour orange juice and blended together. Since blenders were not available a table fork or a whisk was used to blend the ingredients together. I was the picky eater of the family back then. I can still hear the instruction as my parents stood over me yelling, HERE, DRINK IT FAST and SWALLOW IT!! You guessed it I did just that because I knew that it would work!

Another sour orange recipe that was passed down from the older generation was a concoction known as a great remedy for the flu especially when it included a sore throat. One large sour orange and one tablespoon of raw cane sugar is all you need. Place the sour orange on top of fire coals to roast it and keep turning it until the entire fruit is completed done. Remove the sour orange from the heat and set aside to cool. Cut across the top of the roasted orange and leave an opening about two inches across. Add the raw sugar and mix gently into the soft orange pulp until it completely melts. The roasted sour orange pulp is now ready to be scooped out and eaten until it is all gone.

Another use for sour oranges in the Caribbean was doing laundry. The oranges were cut and added to soapy water. This was used for washing clothes and household cleaning. This citrus flavor left a very pleasant smell that was fresh and clean. Sour oranges have become very popular all around the world.

Once again ladies and gentlemen, we find that what we found as commonplace back home and even foods that we thought of as distasteful to our palates, are all now being embraced right here in the U.S. as whole foods or holistic foods. We need to go back to our roots and embrace what our grandmamas taught us!

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Sour oranges in the US bring back Caribbean memories - The Philadelphia Tribune