Bitter Orange Fruit Spread

Bitter Orange Fruit Spread. Seville bitter oranges and lemon, tart and clean on the finish.

Bitter Orange Fruit Spread by FrüchteMeer is made by cooking Seville bitter oranges, lemons, sugar and water, without added pectin or citric acid. No mild orange jam, no children's spread, no orange juice.

Bitter Orange Fruit Spread is a citrus spread from the FrüchteMeer jam manufactory in Wankendorf, made from Spanish bitter oranges and lemons. On British breakfast tables, this type of spread is a staple as orange marmalade. In Germany, many people know it more as a souvenir from a holiday in England. The recipe is simple: four ingredients, about a quarter of which are bitter oranges. Its taste, on the other hand, is multifaceted and anything but simple.

Sweet at the start, bitter in the middle, lemon at the end

The Bitter Orange Fruit Spread unfolds in three stages: first sugary sweetness, then the typical tartness of the bitter orange, and finally a clean citric acidity. The bitter orange, also known as a Seville orange, carries its bitter compounds mainly in the peel and white pith. Its essential oils give the spread a slightly perfumed, spicy aroma.

The lemon keeps the whole thing fresh and ensures a clean finish. Anyone expecting a mild, juicy orange jam will initially find the bitterness too intense. This is why this variety is usually not suitable for children. Anyone who likes espresso, dark chocolate or tart tonics will quickly find a favorite spread here.

The tartness is not a flaw, but the goal of this variety. It is precisely what prevents the spread from tasting sweet and heavy even after several bites.

The difference to orange jam made from sweet oranges is interesting. Sweet oranges provide a lot of juice, but little aroma and almost no bitter compounds. When cooked down, they often taste one-dimensionally sweet. The Seville orange, on the other hand, brings acidity, bitterness and a strong peel aroma all at once. These three layers are the reason why British jam makers have relied on exactly this fruit for generations.

The temperature also changes the impression. When ice-cold from the refrigerator, the bitterness stands out more clearly; at room temperature, the citrus aroma opens up. For the breakfast table, it is recommended to take the jar out fifteen minutes beforehand.

From buttered toast to the Breakfast Martini

Bitter orange pairs exceptionally well with fat, roasted aromas and cocoa, which makes it very versatile in the kitchen. Five ideas:

• For breakfast on crispy toast with salted butter; the saltiness softens the tartness.
• Glaze oven-roasted carrots in the last ten minutes with one tablespoon of spread and a piece of butter.
• Brush a salmon fillet thinly before cooking to create a lightly caramelized crust.
• Swirl two tablespoons into brownie batter for a marbled effect.
• Serve with strong blue cheese on a cheese platter.

A classic of bar culture is the Breakfast Martini: gin, orange liqueur, lemon juice and a bar spoon of orange marmalade are shaken vigorously with ice. With this spread, it turns out particularly tart.

Similarly tart but from the north is the sea buckthorn spread. A tart wild fruit alternative is the rosehip spread from the same manufactory.

Good to know: A little is enough for glazing. One tablespoon is sufficient for a tray of carrots; more lets the bitterness dominate and can easily burn on the edge of the oven.

Seville oranges from Andalusia, cooked in Holstein

The bitter orange, botanically Citrus × aurantium, grows in Seville as a street and garden tree. Its fruits ripen in winter, and the harvest traditionally takes place in January and February. Raw, they are so sour and bitter that they are hardly eaten. A large part of the harvest has therefore gone to the jam kitchens of Great Britain for generations.

Bitter oranges contain a lot of pectin, especially in the peel and seeds. This is why this spread requires no added gelling agent. A side note: under EU law, the term "marmalade" is actually reserved for preparations made from citrus fruits. The everyday term for any kind of fruit spread is therefore, strictly speaking, in the right place with this jar.

It is cooked down in Wankendorf, in the middle of the Holsteinische Schweiz. Karsten Thiesen and Susanne Lucht-Thiesen founded FrüchteMeer as a family business in 1996. They work with traditional methods, like trying new things, and pay attention to the sourcing of their raw materials. For this variety, that means a recipe without additives, in which the fruit sets the tone.

For lovers of tart aromas and English breakfast culture

What sets this spread apart from ordinary orange jam is its deliberate bitterness. It makes it sophisticated, versatile, and an ideal partner for coffee, tea, and dark bread. At the breakfast table, it is the counterpoint to sweet berry varieties.

As a souvenir, the 210-g jar is suitable for people who know orange marmalade from England or like mixing cocktails. Together with a pack of Earl Grey or a bottle of gin, it makes a harmonious gift. Store in the refrigerator after opening.

With Bitter Orange from FrüchteMeer, your breakfast begins with contrast, and in the kitchen you gain a jar that understands tartness as a spice.