The delicious Valencia orangesianace: a Mediterranean treasure

How's it going? Do you feel like discovering something new about Valencian gastronomy?iana?

Today you will discover why la valenc orangeiana It is a symbol of the province of Valencia. 

In fact, they are considered as the best oranges in Spain.

In this article, we will explore the fascinating hhistory that has led to the valenc orangeianto become a world reference.

We will also delve into the fields where it is cultivated and we will discover the traditions that surround its production and some of the types of valenc orangesianas More popular.

Furthermore, we will see the various ways in which this delicious fruit can be eaten.

Finally, we will get into linguistics a little and reveal to you the difference between the orange, the orange tree and the orange. 

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If you want to certify your level of Spanish officially, we also do DELE and SIELE exam preparation courses.

And now, will you join us in this article about the tastiest and most colorful fruit? 🍊

Adelante!

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History of the Valencia orange

History orange in Valencia it is fascinating. Do you want to meet her? 

We will tell you in a few lines!

Introduction of the orange in Spain

The origin of the Valencia orange It dates back to ancient times when the Arabs introduced citrus fruits to the Iberian Peninsula. 

During the 1st century AD, the oranges were brought from Asia to Europe, passing first through the East and then through North Africa. 

Since the Arab invasion of 5th century AD the oranges they arrived in Valencia and they began to be planted and gradually expanded.

Did you know that oranges at that time were very different from the ones we eat today?

They were used as a bitter juice for season the food, like lemon. 

They were also used for clean the sausages pork or polish copper and brass objects. 

What curious uses of orange! TRUE?

The orange finds its home in Valencia

A late XNUMXth century, a climax was experienced in the expansion of orange cultivation in the Valenc Communityiana. 

In this period, the sweet orange It spread quickly throughout the Valencian orchardiana, moving to the Spanish orange varieties more bitter and less appetizing.

It is important to highlight that the real driver of the world renown of the valenc orangeiana took place in the XVIII and XIX centuries, Thanks to the Silk Road.

This trade route finally connected the Levantine city with the five continents, opening new maritime routes. 

La Lonja de la Seda It was one of the neuralgic buildings of these businesses.

If you are in Valencia, you can visit it today. It is a beautiful building full of History!

A early twentieth century, in Valencia there were almost 40.000 hectares dedicated to the cultivation of oranges.

The valenc orangesianas They are admired internationally for their unique flavor and fresh aroma.

They are exported all over the world and are very famous wherever they go. 🍊

Have you seen how fascinating the history of the valenc orangeiana?

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Cultivation and quality of Valencia orangesianas

farmers valencianThey have developed specialized knowledge in the care of orange trees, ensuring the vitality of the trees.

Caring for traditional oranges From Valencia It's thorough. Each fruit is hand selected with care to guarantee its superior quality. 

farmers valencianThey focus on harvesting the oranges at the optimal moment of maturity, ensuring their sweet flavor and softness on the palate. 

This meticulous selection process ensures that only the best oranges reach our homes.

Optimal conditions for the development of oranges

El Mediterranean climate of Valencia, with more than 300 sunny days a year, provides ideal conditions for growing high-quality oranges. 

The clay and sandy soils of the region offer adequate nutrient absorption and efficient drainage, allowing optimal development of orange trees.

Furthermore, the moderate temperature and the breezes marinas influence the exceptional flavor and aroma of Valencia orangesianthem. 

The orange trees benefitedian of the perfect combination between mediterranean sun and freshness of the sea, creating an environment conducive to their growth and development.

The Valencian orange seasoniana varies depending on the type. For example, the harvesting of the navel orange in Valencia It is done from the end of December to the end of February. 

However, the orange season in Valencia in other varieties such as midnight and the mountain range orange Valencia Late es from the end of March to mid-March julio.

Would you like to know more about the orange in Valencia with its characteristics and different types? We will talk about it later 😉.

Visit the orange trees in La Huerta de Valencia

The Valenc Communityiana is orchard land. These large fields of fruit and vegetable crops are where our orange trees are found. 

In fact, in Valencia there is a famous region llena of orchards that are called like this: La Huerta. 

This region extends from Puzol, a town in the north of Valencia, to Albufera, passing through towns such as Moncada, Paterna and Torrent.

The Huerta has an extension of 120 square km. And the best of all is that it is very close to the city and you can visit it.

If you pass through the City of Arts and Sciences and go towards Saler, you will see it immediately.

In La Huerta you will find large orange groves, vineyards, olive groves, rice fields, vegetables, tiger nut fields and many others.

In some plots you will be able to see the types of orange trees to plant and even buy oranges directly from the farmer in Valencia.

In La Huerta it is possible buy valenc orangesianas cheap y buy oranges in bulk. Worth!

The setting of these orchards could not be more authentic. You will see the traditional barracks and farmhouses made of reeds and mud.

Walking among the orange groves and the barracks is a unique experience in Valencia.

You can access La Huerta de Valencia easily through different means of transportation.

You’ll experience an explosion of colour and interactive activities whilst Valencia metro You can go to several towns within the region such as Alboraya, Quart de Poblet or Paiporta.

There are also good connections with lines 14, 15, 16, 23 and 70 of urban bus.

And if you like to ride bike by nature, you can also access it by crossing the beautiful fields and paths that lead to the Albufera area. 

It is a very enjoyable ride! 🚴🏻‍♀️

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Varieties of oranges in Valencia

¿How many varieties of oranges valenceianas you'll find ?

Well the truth is that many. Let's see some!

• navel oranges: they are the best known; large, very sweet and easy to peel. For many, it is the best valenc orangeiana. Simply delicious!
• satsuma oranges: These are more acidic and have a lot of liquid. It is one of the juice orange varieties. 
• blood oranges: They have a taste between bitter and acidic. They are small and reddish in color. They have many antioxidant vitamins 👍🏻.
• Naveline oranges: They are smaller than the Navel and have a more egg-shaped shape. The skin is thinner and they are used either to eat directly or in juice.
• midknight oranges: These oranges are known for their high percentage of juice, sweet flavor and for being seedless, which makes them very convenient to eat.

Ways to eat oranges in Valencia

If you come to Valencia, you will discover that we have many ways to eat our precious fruit. Would you like to meet them? Well let's go there!

• Fresh and peeled: 

many valencianYou prefer to enjoy oranges in their natural form, simply peeling them and eating them directly.

• fresh orange juice: 

Extraction of fresh orange juice is very popular. The ValencsianOranges are usually squeezed to obtain a delicious natural and refreshing juice.

• In salads: 

Oranges can be cut into pieces and added to salads to provide a touch of freshness and a sweet and sour flavor. If you mix it with ingredients such as spinach, walnuts or olives in this orange salad, you will create a spectacular dish 👌🏻.

• Jams and preserves: 

Making jams and jams is another way to take advantage of Valencian oranges.ianace. These can be used as a complement to breads, crackers or cheeses.

• Desserts and pastries: 

Oranges are common ingredients in Valencian pastries.ianto. They are used in the preparation of cakes, pastries, biscuits and other desserts, providing a curious citrus flavor.

• Sauces: 

In the Valencian kitcheniana, oranges are also used to create sauces and dressings to accompany meat, fish or salad dishes. 

• fruit salads: 

Oranges are combined with other fruits from the region to create fresh and healthy fruit salads. In these fruit salads, the fruits are cut into small squares and the result is a very fresh and tasty dish.

• Sangria and Valencia water: 

In our article on the sangria and Valencia water We already explained that orange plays a fairly important role in both cocktails.

In sangria it is used directly the best orange in Valencia into peeled pieces and put into the drink along with other portions of fruit. 

In Valencia water, the orange is added to the juice and mixed with the other ingredients.

Do you want to find out how to prepare these popular drinks in Valencia? 

In the article we explain it to you 😋.

Difference between orange, orange tree and orange

We are not going to say goodbye without first talking about a little grammar related to word orange 😁.

Many people confuse the Orange are dealt with first, followed by the orange tree y the Orange. Are there differences between the three? 

Well yes there are, each term refers to a different thing.

The Orange

The Orange in feminine with the article la, is a noun that refers to Fruit🍊.

In other words, it is the orange we have been talking about throughout the article.

El naranjo

But if we say the orange tree, in masculine and with the article el, we are talking about tree where oranges grow, not the fruit itself. 

The orange tree is a tree of the Rutaceae family, scientifically known as Citrus. 

This evergreen tree is prized for its bright green foliage, fragrant white flowers, and of course, for growing oranges.

The Orange

The third is perhaps the most confusing, since it combines the word orange in feminine with the masculine article el.

This term speaks of orange, or something that has this color.

For example:

• The Orange It is a very happy and summery color.
• Which hat do you like the most? Me, the Orange.

Is the difference between the three clear to you? Yeah? Brilliant! So here we leave it.

We hope you liked the article and that you learned new things about the importance of oranges in Valencia. 

Surely now you want to eat some of the types of valenc orangesianas what we have told you. 

If you are here, don't forget to pay a visit to La Valencia Garden. You'll see how much you like it.

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We will teach you Spanish so that you can communicate fluently in your classes, with your coworkers or with your friends.

Before reading this article, did you know that the orange was such an important fruit in the city of Valencia? Where has been the place where you have eaten the tastiest oranges?

Give us your recommendations in the comments.

¡Hasta pronto!

Article written by Carlos Martínez for Hispania, escuela de español.