With the arrival of the first cold spells, the citrus season begins in our land.
A powerful source of vitamin C, it has traditionally been considered the orange’s “poor sister” due to
its lower vitamin content, but it also provides other micronutrients and vitamins that
make it one of the most beneficial fruits for your health.
It is also a fascinating fruit because of its rich history. Every mandarin that reaches our table is a history lesson in itself…
For example, did you know that its name, mandarin, is actually due to the color of the robes
worn by the rulers of ancient China? And by the way, the first citrus fruits to reach our table are mandarins… or are they clementines? What’s the difference?
They say that at the end of the 19th century, the French priest Clément Rodier was doing social work for orphans in Algeria. Around 1900, this plant enthusiast had the great idea of collecting some pollen from the flowers of a bitter orange tree and using it to fertilize the flowers of another tree, the mandarin. These flowers bore fruit and Brother Clément collected the seeds, planted them, and waited patiently.
As a result, trees of a completely new species grew, and two years later they bore
their first fruit. These fruits were completely new: they were seedless, their skin was very thin, and
they had a low acid content. Since then, they have been cultivated in Mediterranean areas, and in 1929 clementines were named in honor of Father Clément.
Later, in 1953, a clementine tree in Nules underwent a spontaneous mutation…
By chance, the clemenules were born, considered the best mandarin variety in the world
to date, as they are larger and better adapted to the land than the original clementines.
Undoubtedly, a gift for those of us who can enjoy them fresh and newly picked from the tree, or
as an ingredient in countless preparations. Let’s enjoy this pleasure now.
For this reason, we have created various themed gastronomic experiences featuring
our beloved and often unknown citrus fruits. Guided by local producers specialized in the Maestrat region and with our feet on the ground that nourishes these plantations, we will discover their origin, curiosities, varieties, and their extraordinary gastronomic applications.
If we’ve whetted your appetite… follow us on social media or find out about our next citrus
experience!
