Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: June 27th, 2022. Today is National Orange Blossom Tea and I remember when I used to sell Loose Leaf Tea we carried a Orange Blossom Tea but I can’t remember what it tastes like. Have you ever had Orange Blossom Tea?
National Orange Blossom Day, which is celebrated annually on June 27th, is held in honor of this White flower. Orange Blossoms is used in food, perfumes, and other applications worldwide. Orange Blossom adds a wonderful Citrusy fragrance to products.
History of National Orange Blossom Day
The white Flower of the bitter Orange Tree which is cousin to the sweet Orange and Lemon Trees a native of India and China but has grown in Sun-drenched lands for centuries. Today, Orange Tree is found all over the Mediterranean Sea, from Italy to Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Mythology states the Orange Tree symbolizes paradise and love, its white flowers are purity, and itsFruit is fertility. The craze for this flower is reported to have spread throughout the Islamic empire, and it reached Spain in the Ninth Century. Three Centuries later, this fragrant plant made its way to Sicily and then Provence, introduced by the Crusaders.
In Rome, the Orange Blossom essence gained much popularity because of a nobleman’s wife, who would wear this essence everywhere. Quickly becoming fashionable, this scent spread throughout the French Court. King Louis XIV, who had been passionate about perfumes from a very young age, suffered from severe headaches. Only the mild and fragrant Orange Blossom scent soothed him; every other scent was too overpowering. By the time the Orange Blossom reached England, the world was already enthralled by thescent. Legends had spread around the continent of maidens entwining fresh Orange Blossoms into a bridal wreath for their hair. This even gave birth to the phrase ‘to gather Orange Blossoms’ which actually meant ‘to seek a wife.’
Since the time Queen Victoria wore a wreath of Orange Blossom at her Wedding an emblem of chastity at that time, royal brides have been associated with Orange Blossom. Queen Victoria was said to be so enamored with Orange Blossom that her husband Prince Albert gifted her many precious pieces of jewelry shaped like the Orange Blosson over the years. This love influenced many other royal brides; and they all had Orange Blossoms as part of the design of their wedding dresses, including Queen Elizabeth!
There is even a Royal Albert English China pattern called ‘Orange Blossom.’ This Orange Blossom motif only blossomed, appearing on wedding rings, other China patterns, and even furniture. Sheet music with titles like “Orange Blossoms Waltz” by G. Ludovic, and W.R. Williams, became famous.
The Spaniards introduced the Orange Blossom to the Americas in the Sixteenth Century, to the State of Florida. The climate there was perfect to grow this crop, and Citrus plants have been critical to Florida’s economy ever since. At the same time, Orange Blossom craze was overpowering royal brides in the Nineteenth Century, Citrus was being grown throughout the U.S.
Even today, Orange Blossoms is seen as good luck, and frequently appears in bouquets and wreaths at Weddings, apart from all the versatile uses.
How To Celebrate National Orange Blossom Day
- If you’ve never used Orange Blossom in your cooking, brewing, or baking, then today is the day to start! Make an Orange Blossom Tea, or use Orange Blossom to flavor Water in a sweet dessert in place of Rose Water. If you want more variety, you can have store-bought Orange Blossom-flavored Honey. Orange Blossom Water is also usually available to purchase in stores pre-made then you don’t have to worry about messing around with the flowers and can get straight to cooking!
- Orange Blossoms have a long history of being used in Perfumes and as a Fragrance. Local stores and even online stores stock Orange Blossom Oils, which can be used to make your own fragrances or perfumes. Simply add a few drops to homemade soaps and moisturizers to smell like a lovely Orange Blossom.
- If you have space or a kitchen sill think about adding a pop of Citrusy color via a potted plant. Apart from that amazing Citrus fragrance, you get your own little Fruit garden too!
Five Facts About Orange Blossom Flowers
- Florida’s State flower the Orange Blossom is the only one used to make perfume.
- Anne-Marie Orsini, the wife of the Prince of Nerola and Duke of Bracciano, Flavio Orsini, perfumed her bathwaterand her gloves with Orange essence.
- Orange Blossom harvesting takes place at dawn when the flower is most concentrated in odorous components.
- Orange Blossom Oil cuts through grease very effectively, which is why Orange Blosson is popular with some brands of commercial cleaners.
- Beekeepers put their Beehives into Citrus Groves around the time that the little flowers start to bloom; the resultant flavor is distinctive and makes Orange Blossom a sought-after treat.
Why PEOPLE Love National Orange Blossom Day
- Orange Blossoms fragrant blossoms have amazing health benefits. When brewed correctly, Orange Blossom Water or Tea is delicious. These beverages have a calming effect, especially with anxiety. Other health advantages include improved sleep, reduced anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improved circulation. Even the essence has soothing, sedative, and antidepressant properties and it is very popular in aromatherapy.
- Psychologists report that seeing flowers, any flowers, has a calming effect on the human brain. Add to add the amazing scent of Orange Blossom, and you have fewer anxiety attacks along with an amazing fragrance. People love getting a whiff of Orange Blossoms, and even talking about how Orange Blosson feeds our souls and sparks our creativity, making us love National Orange Blossom Day.
- Type in ‘cooking with Orange Blossoms’ on Google and a lot of dishes pop up, with a dizzying array of recipes, from Citrusy Mocktails, Shortbreads, and Preserves. Not only do we learn more about Orange Blossoms, but we also get a new ingredient to use when cooking.
Five Finds about Oranges:
- Navel Oranges are named that because of the belly-button formation opposite the stem end and the bigger the navel in an Orange, the sweeter the Orange will be.
- I have a question for you. Do you know when is an Orange green? When it’s a Valencia! Warm Weather causes the skin to re-green, or reabsorb Chlorophyll, giving the Orange a greenish color but the Orange is still tasty.
- Oranges are high in antioxidants, which neutralize the effects of free radicals, unstable oxygen molecules in your body, believed to cause aging and some diseases.
- Moro Oranges are also called blood Oranges! But don’t worry that’s just because the pulp is bright red. Moro Oranges are really a sweet treat.
- After Chocolate and Vanilla, Orange is the world’s favorite flavor.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
