June 27th is National Orange Blossom Day #NationalOrangeBlossomDay and for my family this is a Holiday I hadn’t heard of. If Charlie had still been Homeschooling full time instead of graduating I would have had Charlie research Orange Blossoms then we would have created a recipe using Orange Blossoms. Instead I would like to ask if you would like to research recipes with me and we can make something for our families.
National Orange Blossom Day, which is celebrated annually on June 27th. Orange Blossom Day is held in honor of this amazing white Flower. Orange Bossoms are used in food, perfumes, and various other applications worldwide, the Orange Blossom adds a wonderful Citrusy fragrance to products.
The white Flower of the bitter Orange Tree is cousin to the sweet Orange and Lemon Trees is a native of India and China but has grown in sun-drenched lands for centuries. Today, the 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 its Fruit is fertility. The craze for the white 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 its scent. 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 the Orange Blossom. Queen Victoria was said to be so enamored with this Flower that her husband Prince Albert gifted her many precious pieces of jewelry shaped like this flower over the years. This love influenced many other royal brides; 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, “Orange Blossom Time is June” by George Spink and W.R. Williams, and “When It’s Orange Blossom Time in Loveland, I’ll Be Waiting at the Church for You” by Jeff Branen and Arthur Lange also 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 Orange Blossoms, and Citrus plants have been critical to Florida’s economy ever since. At the same time, the 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 of its versatile uses.
LET’S NATIONAL ORANGE BLOSSOM DAY
- If you have never used Orange Blossom in your cooking, brewing, or baking, then today should be the day. Make an Orange Blossom Tea, or use Orange Blossom flavor Water in a sweet dessert in place of the usual Rose Water. If you want more variety, you can have store-bought Orange Blossom-flavored Honey.
- range Blossom Water is also usually available to buy in stores (pre-made), so 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 (or online ones) stock Orange Blossom Oils, which can be used to make your own fragrances or perfumes. Just add a few drops to your homemade Soaps and Moisturizers to smell like a lovely Orange Blossom all day!
- 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!
FUN FACTS ABOUT NATIONAL ORANGE BLOSSOM DAY
- Florida’s state flower 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 bathwater and 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 it 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 Honey a sought-after treat.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL ORANGE BLOSSOM DAY
- Orange Blossoms fragrant blossoms have amazing health benefit which are good for health when brewed correctly, Orange Blossom Water or Tea is delicious and has a calming effect, especially with anxiety. Other health advantages include improved sleep, reduced anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improved circulation. Even the essence of Orange Blossoms has soothing, sedative, and antidepressant properties. Orange Blossoms is very popular in aromatherapy.
- Psychologists report that seeing flowers, any flowers, has a calming effect on the human brain. Add to that the amazing scent of the Orange Blossom, and you have fewer anxiety attacks along with an amazing fragrance. We love getting a whiff of Orange Blossoms, and even talking about them feeds our souls and sparks our creativity, making us love National Orange Blossom Day that much more!
- If you have time today type in ‘cooking with Orange Blossoms’ and pages of recipes, from Mocktails to Preserves appear. Not only do we learn more about orange Blossoms, but we also get a new ingredient to play within the kitchen too!
Orange Blossom Water
For those of you who didn’t know what Orange Blossom Water is it’s a flower Water, like Rose Water, that’s made from the blossoms on Orange Trees.
Ingredients
- 2 cups loosely packed orange flower blossoms
- 2 cups distilled water
Instructions
- Crush the orange blossoms in a mortar and pestle until they are a paste. Let sit for 2 hours.
- Combine the petal paste and distilled water in a Ball jar. Stir and cover. Let sit for 2 weeks.
- Strain the blossoms out of the water and then add the water to sterilized jars.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
