Oranges
Oranges, extraordinary properties
Oranges, portogalli, partualli, sitron. These are not different types of citrus fruits, but dialectal names used by Sicilian, Ligurian, and Emilian populations over time to identify oranges. Extraordinary properties (rich in vitamin C and ascorbic acid) and a unique taste merge in a typically Mediterranean fruit, although its origin is Chinese.
Note in Italy since Roman times, the cultivation of oranges seems to have initially occurred in Sicily, with land importation, and later in the rest of the peninsula, thanks to Portuguese merchants. Oranges have always been recognized for their extraordinary properties. They are found representing well-being in family-themed paintings or the Eden in frescoes of the Last Supper (by Ghirlandaio in Florence, for example). The Medici family themselves, powerful Tuscan Renaissance dynasty, might have chosen them to symbolize the tradeentertained with the East, economic condition and for the particular assonance: the orange was defined as ‘bad medical.
The Belpaese is the fifth largest producer in the world, with as many as 2.5 million tons annually and some IGP recognitions, Sicilian oranges being first among all. Their caloric contribution is very low (35-40 kcal per 100 g).
