THE RECORD
Characterized by a rough, thick and bumpy, deep, orange-colored peel, Seville oranges are one of the more sour citrus varieties. Though not as popular for snacking as the sweet, low-acid oranges, Seville oranges are great for adding a tart citrus orange flavor to recipes without being cloyingly sweet.
Seville oranges are most commonly used in marmalades where the zest and juice can be used to full advantage and the bitter flavors can be developed into elements of depth.
One of the first orange varieties transported to the New World, the sour citrus fruit gets its name from Seville, Spain, where they were highly cultivated in the 12th century. From Spain, the orange made its way through the Caribbean, South Central and North America.
A community founded by Spaniards, St. Augustine saw its first sour orange seeds in the 16th century. By 1763, Seville oranges had been adopted by most early settlers and local Indians.
Today, they grow wild in Florida from Jacksonville to Key West between the months of September and July.
