Sour Orange

Bitter Orange

[Sour Orange, Seville Orange, Bigarade, Citrus aurantium]

A native of Southeast Asia, this was the only type of orange known in Europe until after 1500 and now grows cultivated or wild in most subtropical areas of the world. A large portion of the crop is shipped to England and Scotland for the manufacture of marmalade. Peel and oil also find extensive use in flavorings for liquors, candies and the like. It is a popular herbal remedy, said to provide a "safe" form of Ephedrine, but this safety is not medically proven.

The most available variety in the U.S. and Europe is the Seville Orange which has a lumpy rind and very tart flesh. It's less sour than a lemon and has a distinctly orangy flavor, but it isn't something most people would want to eat out of hand. In Florida they are used for making pies.

Buying: Bitter / Sour Oranges are available in Florida and becoming more available in California because they are popular in Mexico.
StoringKeep cool as with other citrus.
Cooking: Sour orange is used in many marinade and recipes and used in pies in Florida.
Substitutes: for either juice or grated peel use 1 part lemon to 2 parts regular orange. This probably won't work for marmalade because the high pectin content of the sour orange will not be available.