Clean
Living SPRING ISSUE 2020
One of the true (non-hybridized) varieties of citrus fruits, the citron is a large yellow-colored fragrant fruit that is widely used in Asian foods. Plus, it also has medicinal value and is presented as a religious offering in many countries.
This is the largest fruit in the citrus family. The fruit typically measures about 6 to 10 inches in diameter and weighs around 1 to 2 kg a piece. A Pomelo contains pinkish-white flesh that can be sweet, sour or a combination of both.
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The blossom end of the fruit has indentations similar to that of a human navel when viewed from the outside. Navel oranges are part of the winter citrus family. Navel orange season begins in November and it ends in June.
lemon
kumquat
pomelo
The bright orange colored skin of this fruit is no different than that of a typical orange, the flesh contained within is of deep blood-red color. This is due to the presence of antioxidants called anthocyanins that are found only in this type of citrus fruit.
naval orange
citron
blood orange
12 Types of Citrus Fruits
The name of this fruit literally means golden orange in Chinese. It is a cold-hardy fruit that looks pretty much the same as an average orange except that it's a lot smaller in size. Most kumquats are round but some also come in an oval shape.
This citrus is truly versatile and has a huge value in various industries. The juice and peel is used in the food industry for refreshing juices and tasty desserts. Cosmetic industries use the same for preparing different beauty products including essential oils and other fragrances.
sumo mandarin
yuzu
key lime
Particularly popular in East Asian cuisine, its juice, peel, and seeds serve as gourmet flavorings for vinegars, seasonings, sauces, and marmalades. Yuzu oil is also commonly used in cosmetics, perfume, and aromatherapy.
Produced from an accidental cross between a pomelo and sweet orange, the grapefruit was first introduced in Barbados. Initially called the ‘Forbidden Fruit’, it was renamed to grapefruit because it grows closely in bunches that look like rather giant grapes.
The Sumo is easy to peel like mandarin and is the size of a Navel orange. Sumo Citrus has a rich, mandarin flavor, that has a good balance of sweet and sour notes. They have a short growing season—from January to April.
ugli fruit
grapefruit
tangerine
This fruit originated from Southeast Asia. It is quite seedy and has a thin rind coupled with a strongly acidic taste and smell. The fruit is small about 1 to 2 inch in diameter. Also known as West Indian Lime, Mexican Lime or Bartender’s Lime
This fruit gets it name from it's origin, Tangier, Morocco. Tangerines are smaller than oranges and have a sweeter flesh and rind. Tangerine peels coated in chocolate are, therefore, a common delicacy in various restaurants and dessert bars.
Don’t be deceived by the name but this fruit does not fall short of flavor. It's from the Jamaican islands and has a wrinkled skin surrounding a pulpy flesh inside. It's gaining popularity for its novelty and sweet, citrusy taste. People also like it because it’s easy to peel.
Citrus fruits have been cultivated since ancient times and till date, markets are brimming with various varieties of bright and luscious oranges, lemons and other zesty fruits. However, originally there were only three main types of citrus fruits – mandarins, citron, and pomelo. All the other varieties like lemons, limes, grapefruits and more are derived from these main species. spring issue | 3
The Truth About an Indoor Lemon Tree (Hint: It Belongs Outdoors)
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written by michelle slatalla
y neighbor Bill Stock has an amazing garden– 30-year-old roses and towering hollyhocks grown from seed he brought from Monet’s garden after a visit to Giverny. But the other night at a dinner party Bill leaned over his plate of grilled halibut, locked eyes, and confessed a terrible secret: His indoor citrus trees keep dying. “It’s a mystery,” he said. “Can you solve it?” Here are five strategies to help indoor citrus trees thrive: From Bill’s description it was clear something was very, very wrong. This is Northern California, after all, where citrus trees grow like weeds. So the next morning I walked over to Bill’s house to gather clues. There, I was greeted by two desperate looking potted mandarin orange trees, both 2 feet tall and neither looking like it was ever going to see 3. There was no denying both looked sick: their leaves were mottled with yellow spots and curled under like a witch’s fingernails. At first glance, Bill seemed to be doing everything right–his potted dwarf mandarin orange trees live in an actual solarium, a light-filled sunroom with three walls of windows. He waters them every three days and fertilizes them regularly. I poked at one sickly specimen. A brittle leaf fell and fluttered to the ground at my feet. “Hold on, little guy,” I urged it. “Help is coming.” There was only one thing to do: consult a citrus-tree specialist. I reached Mario Vega, a nursery specialist at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, while he was driving. “It’s an emergency,” I said. “Hang on, I’m pulling over onto the shoulder,” Mr. Vega said. I detailed the symptoms of Bill Stock’s ailing trees. “All he wants is for his trees to look as good as the ones you grow indoors at the Conservatory,” I concluded. “Actually,” Mr. Vega said, clearing his throat, “we don’t grow them indoors. We grow them outdoors and then bring them in when they’re show-worthy.” The truth about indoor citrus trees, it turns out, is they really would rather be outdoors. There are several reasons why, Mr. Vega explained. spring issue | 5
Secret No. 1: Humidity “Indoors, there is a lack of humidity,” said Mr. Vega. “Most indoor environments have like 10 percent humidity, whereas most plants including citrus trees that thrive in the outdoors need closer to 50 percent humidity and above.” “So Bill needs to increase the humidity in his solarium?” I asked. “Like, with a humidifier?” But the answer wasn’t that easy. “There are lots of ways to increase indoor humidity, but the question is, would you want to?” Mr. Vega said. “You could bring on a whole host of things you don’t want to encourage in an indoor environment: mold, mildew, paint peeling,” he said. One way to increase the humidity level without damaging an indoor environment is with a humidity tray. “You know those little saucers you put under potted plants to catch the runoff water?” Mr. Vega said. “Fill a little tray with pebbles and leave the runoff water in there. As the water slowly evaporates, it will raise the humidity enough to improve conditions for the plant.” An even better solution, though, would be for Bill to move his trees outdoors in warm weather because the air indoors gets stale.
plants). So keep plants moist, but don’t waterlog them or the root will rot. Allow the surface of the soil get dry, but water the plant while there is still some moisture around the root.
Secret No. 2: Air Movement “Buildings tend to be airtight, particularly newer buildings. In them, the air becomes quite stagnant,” said Mr. Vega. “You have plenty of air movement outdoors, which is good for plants. So move your citrus trees outdoors when you can.” Best careful not to overdo it on the first day of spring. “A plant that has been “A plant that has been indoors all winter is like indoors all winter is like a fair-skinned person. Too much sun exposure too fast a fair-skinned person. Too much sun exposure and it will get sunburn,” said Mr. Vega. too fast and it will get sunburn...” “Move it to sunnier locations gradually and for shorter periods at first, as it puts out new leaves.” If you have no outdoor space, open doors or at least a window in warm weather to improve air circulation for citrus trees
Secret No. 3: Plenty of Water “The leaves are curling under to try to conserve moisture, to try to recapture moisture they’ve lost,” said Mr. Vega. ”A dry root causes a plant to be stressed.” If plants get too dry, salts will accumulate in the soil (when the soil is wet, the salts are soluble and won’t harm
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Secret No. 4: Fertilize to Replace Soil Nutrients “Those yellow spots are most likely the result of chlorosis, a lack of chlorophyll,” said Mr. Vega. "That plant is telling you it’s very stressed and not getting the nutrients it needs.” Feed citrus trees with a good balanced 18-18-18 fertilizer, he said. You can use that pretty much throughout the year, or else use compost,” he said.
Secret No. 5: Sunlight, Sunlight, Sunlight Citrus trees require a minimum of eight hours a day of sunlight to thrive, and they’d really prefer 12 hours, said Mr. Vega. In Bill’s solarium, the light is probably adequate (with western, northern, and southern exposures). But don’t think you can get away “Citrus with putting citrus trees in a location with filtered or limited light. “They need really strong sunlight to be induced to bloom and to have the strength to produce fruit,” Mr. Vega said. Still not scared off? If you want to try your luck growing citrus inside, see Indoor Lemon Trees (I’ll Take Two). It’s not hopeless, of course, to try to grow citrus indoors. But choose a dwarf variety that won’t be prone to outgrowing its pot and be prepared to baby your tree. Give it the conditions it needs to grow and don’t try to make it bend to your will. As for all those photos you see of beautiful, thriving indoor citrus trees? I suspect they may have been grown outdoors and brought inside, briefly, when they were show-worthy. “Tell your friend I wish him good luck with his trees,” Mr. Vega said. “And remember: more sun, more water, more nutrients.”•
tree require a minimum of eight hours a day of sunlight to thrive…”
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They Contain Nutrients That Boost Heart Health Several compounds in citrus fruits can improve markers of heart health. For example, their soluble fiber and flavonoids may improve cholesterol levels by raising "good" HDL cholesterol and lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. And many of the flavonoids in citrus fruits, including one called naringin, are strong antioxidants that benefit the heart in several ways
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They're Rich in Vitamins and Plant Compounds Citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, a nutrient that strengthens the immune system and keeps your skin smooth and elastic. Just one medium orange has all the vitamin C you need in a day.Citrus fruits also have good amounts of other vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly, including B vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and copper.
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They're a Good Source of Fiber Just one cup of orange segments contains four grams of fiber. To put that in perspective, it's recommended that you consume 14g of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat. It's estimated that only 4% of men and 13% of women in the US get that amount Oranges are particularly high in soluble fiber, the kind of fiber that helps lower cholesterol levels.
Citrus Fruits Are Low in Calories If you're watching your calorie intake, citrus fruits are a good choice. They're low in calories, yet their water and fiber contents help fill you up.
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They May Reduce Your Risk of Kidney Stones One type of kidney stone is caused by low levels of citrate in urine. Many fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, can raise the levels of citrate in your urine, lowering the risk of kidney stones. Drinking citrus juices and eating these fruits can offer a natural alternative to potassium citrate supplements.
Health Benefits of Citrus
Sweet, brightly colored citrus fruits bring a burst of sunshine into winter days. But citrus fruits are not only flavorful and pretty — they're also good for you. They have a bunch of health benefits, from boosting immunity to fighting cancer. Read on to find out 5 reasons to eat citrus fruits.
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How the humble lemon helped grow the Sicilian mafia
Sicily’s mafia sprang from the growing global market for lemons – a tale with sour parallels for consumers today.
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It's one of the most infamous criminal organizations in the world, responsible for murders, torture, drug and arms trafficking, and political corruption.
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ut the Sicilian mafia, or Cosa Nostra, may have had a fairly innocuous starting point: lemons. It all began in the 1700s, when the value of the fruit exploded and Sicilian growers suddenly needed to protect their plants. "These people who had citrus groves mainly for decorative purposes suddenly found themselves with something of a goldmine," says Ola Olsson, an economics professor who has written about lemons and the Sicilian mafia. High walls were erected around citrus groves and armed guards were hired to do the work that local law enforcement wouldn't. "This is where we think the mafia came in — as kind of a protector," Olsson says.
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"[Sicily had] a very weak rule of law," Olsson says."It's a bit of a chaotic period [with] a lot of poverty, so temptation for thieves is large." "Farmers ... were quite sensitive to predation from the local population." And so, he says, the mafia stepped in, protecting the growers at every stage of the supply chain — from the groves to transportation and storage at harbors.
“the mafia stepped in, protecting the growers…”
"In all these parts of the value chain it seems that mafioso turned up and provided some order," Olsson says. In this context, 'mafia' meant something different from what we understand of the term today.
"It seems that around 1860, 1870, it had a more positive meaning," Olson says. Rather than denoting a criminal or terrorist, a 'mafioso' initially referred to anyone who confronted a criminal, on behalf of the local population. "[It was] the guy that stands up for the common man," Olsson says. "At least in this period. Of course, later it had a very different meaning; a much more negative connotation." LEMON JUICE TO COMBAT DISEASE The lemon boom began in the mid1700s after a Scottish doctor, James Lind, found that vitamin C could help combat scurvy. The debilitating disease was a huge problem for the British Navy, and it eventually adopted Dr Lind's recommendations to up sailors' vitamin C intake. By the late 1700s, captains had started giving lemon juice to their crews. "This of course boosted the demand for citrus fruits a lot," Olsson says. Sicilian growers reaped the benefits of the "explosive increase in demand." In 1837, 740 lemon barrels were exported from the island. By 1850 that figure had jumped to more than 20,000. And it didn't stop there. By the late 1800s, 2.5 million cases a year were being exported to New York alone. MAFIA 'FOR THE COMMON MAN' Poverty was widespread in Sicily at the time, and the lemon boom provided a serious motivation for stealing citrus plants. That became a huge problem for growers.
THE MAFIA MIGRATES In 1893, the thriving Sicilian citrus industry came up against significant hurdles. A huge drought hit growers hard. But perhaps more significantly, Sicily began to face serious citrus competition, particularly from Florida, which took the heat out of the market. As the profitability of the citrus industry decreased during the 1890s, many Sicilians — including members of the mafia — migrated to countries like the US, explains Olsson. "There they soon used their old business models and teamed up with other groups in America — not only other Italians, but also other groups, to form the specific American version of the mafia," he says. The mafia shifted its business outside of citrus, taking a step towards becoming the crime organization we now know. Cosa Nostra continues to exert power and a threat to the rule of law. It and three other main Italian mafia groups are today
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CITRUS FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD
While some countries are still battling blizzards and sub-zero temperatures, in other warmer climes around the world February signals the end of the winter. So if you're looking to escape to some spring soaked celebrations pack your bags and head to the South of France or Northern Italy for two vibrant citrus packed festivals of a very different nature. Take your pick between the colourful citrus studded street celebrations of Menton or the medieval orange lobbing in northern Italy. Have a look at what each festival has in store.
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Fête du Citron menton, france This one is the mother of all citrus festivals – the OG of the lemon festival. Now in it’s 86th year, it’s high on my to-do list for next year (this year’s travel dance card is already full). Each exhibit is a sight to behold. Simply stunning. If you don’t get your fill from the exhibits, enjoy the day and nightime parades and light shows too. Every year the festival has a different theme - previous events have been based on the Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, and Disney characters. https://www.fete-du-citron.com/
Battaglia delle Arance ivrea, italy Each February sees the tiny northern city of Ivrea in northern italy stockpile 500 tons of fresh oranges in preparation for the three days Battaglia delle Arance (Battle of the oranges). Unlike the Tomatina tomato fight in Spain this is a not a back packer's chance to get stuck in like a local, but serious orchestrated theatre drawing on ancient traditions in which only seasoned professionals can engage. A historic fight between townsfolk and a ruling tyrant is re-enacted whilst teams wage a full-on fruit war and by standers prepare to get juiced. https://radseason.com/event/battle-of-the-oranges/
Sagra degli Agrumi sardinia, italy Held at the beginning of April in the town of Muravera on Sardinia’s southeast coast, the Sagra degli Agrumi marks the end of the citrus season. Around the time of the festival, new blossom appears on trees in the citrus groves, eventually maturing into fruit that will be harvested in the colder months to come. In celebration of the region’s prized produce (and the arrival of a welcome break for those who work in the agrumeti, or citrus orchards), the town hosts a three-day bash showcasing the best local produce. https://theculturetrip.com/citrus-festival-muravera/
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Living SUMMER ISSUE 2020