Ortanique is a tangor, a cross between a sweet orange and a tangerine, discovered in Jamaica in the early 1900s. It has a tangy, slightly sweet flavor and is widely considered the best version of this citrus fruit. Its flavor and composition vary depending on where it is grown. It can be eaten fresh, squeezed for juice, used in salads, desserts, and candied. It is difficult to find outside of the tropics. The name “ortanique” is a combination of “orange,” “tangerine,” and “unique.”
An ortanique is a cross between a sweet orange and a tangerine. This citrus cultivar was discovered in Jamaica in the early 1900s and continues to be produced extensively there. A well-developed ortanique is a medium-sized fruit with a strong citrus aroma and tangy, slightly sweet flavor. Jamaican ortaniques are very pale in color, with a juicy, seedless flesh, and are widely considered to be the best versions of this citrus fruit.
The ortanique is classified as a tangor, meaning it is a cross between a tangerine and a sweet orange. There are a number of tangle cultivars grown around the world, including Murcotts and a number of Japanese hybrids. An interesting thing about ortanique is that its flavor and composition vary, depending on where it is grown. Ortaniques from the tropics retain the pale flesh, lack of seeds, and rich, juicy flavor of Jamaican ortanique. However, when ortaniques are grown in places like the Mediterranean, they grow thick crusts and seeds begin to appear.
There are several ways to use ortanique. Many people like to eat fruit out of the way, because it can be flavorful and very refreshing. You can also squeeze ortanique for juice, which can be drunk plain or mixed with other fruit juices. Ortanique wedges can also be included in fruit salads and used as garnishes, and the fruit can be used in sherbet, preserves, and a variety of other desserts. Ortaniques can also be candied, with or without the peel.
Depending on where you are, you may find it easy or difficult to get an ortanique. Since the growing environment of this citrus fruit is very limited, only a small number of them can be shipped outside the tropics. In tropical regions, you may be able to find ortanique in markets just about anywhere. Outside of the tropics, you may need to look for a large market, ideally one that caters to a Jamaican population.
If you’re wondering the origins of the name “ortanique,” the word is an amalgam of “orange,” “tangerine,” and “unique,” and is thought to reflect the unique character of the fruit, along with the cultivar involved in its production. Most ortaniques grown today are from the original parent stock grown in the early 1900s, with people simply taking cuttings and propagating new trees.
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