In my last blog I mentioned that I recently bought a twenty six kilo crate of arance rosse di Sicilia (Sicilian red oranges). Even after I had made ten jars of marmalade, I still had una marea di arance (a mass of oranges, literally ‘a tide of oranges’) to dispose of. So I decided to do a bit of research into the uses to which one can put an orange, setting aside juggling, and throwing them at your rivals in the Carnevale d’Ivrea.

The most obvious use, apart from eating them, is to fare una spremuta d’arancia (make a freshly squeezed orange juice) for which you need a spremiagrumi (lemon squeezer). Il succo d’arancia (orange juice) isn’t just refreshing of course, it’s also a good source of Vitamin C.

I semi (the pips), tied inside a muslin bag, are used in the making of orange marmalade because they are rich in pectin, thereby helping it to set.

I fiori bianchi secchi (the dried white flowers) have sedative properties, and a tea made from two grams of dried orange flowers in 100 ml of boiling water is particularly good to counteract insomnia, and nervous excitement in children. I profumatissimi fiori freschi (the highly perfumed fresh flowers) are used to produce Neroli essential oil. The name of this oil comes from the medieval town of Nerola near Roma, and it is said that it was first used in the XVI century by Anna Maria, princess of Nerola, to scent her royal gloves. Given that it costs around 150 Euros for a 10ml bottle, it seems a pretty expensive way to make your gloves smell nice, however each to their own.

La scorza (the rind) is also rich in aromatic essential oils, and has digestive and antispasmodic properties. A warm tea of orange rind helps digestion and calms stomach pains, but it’s best to use only the thin outside layer of the rind as the white pith is too bitter. The pith, on the other hand, can be used to make an effective cleansing cream for the skin. Here is a very simple recipe:

Crema detergente agrumata (Citrus cleansing cream)

Choose an orange with a nice thick skin. Peel it and separate the white pith from the outer rind which contains oils that can stain the skin. Put the finely chopped pith in a small saucepan with just enough water to cover it, and add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Bring it to the boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes a smooth white cream. Leave it to cool down. Use a bit of cotton wool dipped into this cream to gently cleanse your face, then rinse with fresh water. It leaves your skin feeling as smooth as silk! Any leftover cream will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

Just to finish with, here is a trick for using orange rind that I learned from my father. Peel an orange with a serrated knife, trying to keep the rind in one piece. Lay the rind out on the top of a hot radiator to benefit from its aroma whilst refreshing the room. When it’s completely dried out put it in the compost, or burn it in the fireplace if you have one.