Oranges: A Global History

Edible

by Clarissa Hyman

The tangy, juicy sweetness of oranges has made them a mainstay on our breakfast tables, as snacks, and even as healthy desserts. Indeed, oranges and orange juices are so ubiquitous nowadays that we take them for granted—but their journey to our supermarket shelves is a long and tantalizing story, as Clarissa Hyman reveals in Oranges . Following the orange from its origins in the Mediterranean world to the grocery produce section, Hyman illuminates the wide-ranging cultural resonance and culinary presence of the popular fruit.

 

Charting the arrival of bitter and sweet oranges in the Mediterranean, where they were seen as a gift from the gods, Hyman chronicles their dramatic voyage to the Americas and the impact they had on agriculture, garden design, and architecture along the way. She surveys the many varieties of oranges that now exist and analyzes their status as symbols of great wealth in art, an inspiration for poets and painters, and a source of natural health. Dealing with the practical complexities of orange cultivation, she details the challenges facing modern producers and consumers across the globe. Packed with delicious recipes and luscious photos, Oranges is a refreshing look at the king of citrus.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Food, Food History, Food and Drink

151 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Cee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I desperately want to eat oranges now.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ripper of a book. Part of Reaktion's Edible Series, Clarissa Hyman's book captures the best of food studies. Aligning the disciplines of history, sociology, biology, fashion theory, cultural studies and media studies, Oranges is able to present both the chronological narrative of the fruit, but also its social significance.

What lifted this book from four to five stars is the attention to the often under-discussed elements of the orange: like the peel, blossom and scent.

It is difficult to imagine a better example of and from food studies than Clarissa Hyman's Oranges.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing John McPhee's book of oranges, I felt I wanted more so got this. This global history of food is part of a great series that are fun to read. Not anything at the level of McPhee, and this is far more dry--but this book had some recipes and indeed there are some stories about oranges around the world that were not included in McPhee... so I recommend them as a pair.

[Katrinka]

Was kind of hoping for more in-depth information (regarding disease in particular), but realize this series is generally meant just to skim the surface.