Australian oranges, the world’s sweetest, now in PHL

I absolutely love oranges, especially those from Australia, said to be the sweetest in the world.

I can’t get enough of them. Every day I try to eat at least one fresh orange, sometimes two or three. I also drink fresh orange juice daily, no preservatives.

My love affair with oranges began when we lived for a time in Australia, where our Dad worked for Ford Motors. Where we lived in Geelong, we had a large backyard dotted with orange trees.

My favorite thing to do in the mornings was pick oranges from the trees.

I was thus in Orange Paradise when the Australian Embassy, together with Citrus Australia, recently held a special event entitled “Australian Oranges, Now In Season.”

Held at the residence of Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell, the event officially kicked off the launch of the fruit in the Philippines. Also present were representatives from Citrus Australia, a non-government agency that assists the citrus industry through trade development, product promotion, and other services.

“Australian oranges have long enjoyed a reputation for being the sweetest in the world,” said Tweddell. “And very importantly, Australian farms are known for being pollution-free with high standards of food safety.”

The ambassador added that this is the best time to introduce these oranges to the Philippines because it is wintertime in Australia, when oranges there are in season.

In an interview with GMA News Online, Citrus Australia general manager of market development Andrew Harty said that in the past, it was not possible to supply the Philippines with oranges from Australia due to distance and travel time.

But now, he said, new technology ensures that every orange that arrives in the Philippines is “safe, sweet, and healthy.”

Harty said Australian oranges are free from harmful chemicals because their pollution-free farms adhere to strict standards of food safety.

Furthermore, every batch of oranges shipped from Australia is tracked starting from the farm to the packing house to the ship that carries them to the Philippines.

Sweet, juicy, and seedless

Australia is best known for their juicy, seedless navel oranges, including a special variety called “Cara Cara,” which has a deep red color.

Australia has about 1,800 citrus growers working on 28,000 hectares of land. Most of the farms, ranging from 40 to 1,600 hectares, are owned by families but a few are owned by corporations.

Citrus is grown in almost all parts of mainland Australia. Most are grown in Riverland in the south; Murray Valley in Victoria and New South Wales, and Riverina in New South Wales.

Health benefits

According to Harty, oranges are “super fruits” that carry a wide variety of health benefits. Oranges, said Citrus Australia:

1. support the immune system;
2. slow down the aging process;
3. protect the heart; and
4. help people maintain a healthy weight.

High in potassium and low in sodium, oranges also contain healthy plant compounds called flavanoids.

Citrus Australia said oranges can be incorporated in cocktails, viands, and sweets, such as orange and almond salad; caramel and orange pork ribs; carrot, ginger, and orange soup; slow-cooked orchard beef, pan-fried chicken, and many others.

Orange marmalade (recipe courtesy of Citrus Australia)

Four oranges
One lemon
One kilogram of sugar (warmed), and
One liter of water

Wash fruit in salted water (containing about ½ teaspoon of salt).

Peel and chop three oranges.

Remove the rind, pith and seeds and place these in a muslin bag then tie it.

Cut the fourth fruit very finely, removing the seeds.

In a large bowl, put in the muslin bag, water and fruit. Cover and leave overnight.

The next day, simmer the mixture until the rinds are soft and the water is reduced.

Remove the muslin bag and bring the mixture to a boil. Add warmed sugar (instructions below), constantly stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Boil the mixture rapidly until it forms into a jelly.

How to warm sugar: Place sugar on a lined baking tray. Place the tray in a medium-heated oven for 5-7 minutes.  It is best to warm sugar in batches to prevent sugar from melting. — BM, GMA News

Citrus Australia and the Australian Embassy will be promoting Australian oranges through sampling activities every weekend in Metro Manila at the branches of Robinson’s Supermarket, Rustan’s Fresh, Rustan’s Supermarket, and Shopwise.