All Things Citrus ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏  | Simply The Zest From oranges, grapefruits, lemons and kumquats to limes, pomelos and a thousand others you’ve probably never heard of, citrus is one of the world’s most varied food groups and has a juicer history than you ever imagined. Let’s peel into it!
When Fortnum’s was founded in 1707 oranges were incredibly elusive and symbolised great wealth; oranges preserved in sugar were seen as an extraordinarily extravagant gift in London society up until the late 1700s when Britain began importing in greater quantities. The tradition of Seville gifting oranges to the British Royal Family dates back to Queen Victoria, whose niece was married to the Spanish King Alphonse XIII. After sampling the oranges grown in her Alcázar Palace grounds and deeming them the finest she’d ever tasted, the young royal demanded a batch be sent to her grandmother and the rest of her family back in England.
The rest, as they say, is marmalade. | | | | Did You Know? - The Grapefruit Diet, also known as The Hollywood Diet due to its popularity with Jazz Age starlets, first appeared in the 1930s and was based on the claim that grapefruits contain fat-burning enzymes. This is, of course, complete nonsense and yet grapefruit is still regarded by many as beneficial for weight-loss today.
- In the 18th century the British Navy was given the nickname ‘The Limeys’ from their American counterparts due to the copious quantities of limes British sailors were encouraged to eat to ward off Scurvy. Not bad for something knocking about the fruit bowl.
- In ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ William Shakespeare describes Count Claudio to be ‘civil as an orange’, a play on ‘Seville oranges’, to liken the character to the famously bitter citrus fruit. In many parts of the world the phrase ‘civil as an orange’ is still used to describe sourness in a person. | | | Our Product Picks |  | Lemon Curd Biscuits | | | | |  | Glacé Clementines | | | | |  | Fortnum's Orange Curd | | | | |  | Orange & Lemon Cold Brew | | | | | | | Handy Hacks 10 Second Salad Dressing
Add olive oil and a generous squeeze of lemon juice to a nearly-empty jar of mustard, chutney or honey and give it a good shake. Serve over salads, roast vegetables, pasta and just about anything else you fancy!
More Juice, Please!
If you have lemons and limes that feel a little on the hard side, try popping them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. The gentle heat helps to soften the fruit’s membrane and release their natural juices!
Grate Expectations
From fresh mango and sweet pineapple to chunky guacamole and sizzling stir-fries, a generous grating of fresh lime zest is the savvy home cook’s secret weapon.
| | |  | | Shaken or Stirred? Grapefruit for gin and tonics, lime for mojitos, lemon for martinis, orange for negronis... Cocktail hour would be nothing without a well-chosen twist of citrus. Discover our Champagne Cocktail recipes for some inspiration. | | | | |  | One last thing... There’s always something delicious going on at Fortnum’s Food & Drink Studio. Here’s a peek behind-the-scenes at Chef Roger’s Blood Orange Marmalade Scones... | | | | |  | #Fortnums is Made for Sharing Every day is a delicious adventure with Fortnum's.
Follow our journey and share your own. |  | | |   |
