The Orchard

Citrus caviar: what it is, how we grow it in Valencia and how to use it in the kitchen

Citrus caviar or finger lime is an Australian citrus we grow in our Valencia grove. Tiny vesicles that burst in your mouth with lime and grapefruit flavour. No post-harvest treatment.

How to Store Citrus Fruit at Home — A Valencia Farmer's Guide

Supermarket oranges last weeks in the fridge. Convenient? Sure. It's also the result of fungicides, wax coatings, and weeks of cold storage. Ours don't have any of that. They're picked the day you ...

Why citrus fruit is wrapped in paper — and why it matters

If you have ever bought oranges at a market in Valencia — or from any fruit shop that takes its stock seriously — you will have noticed that each piece comes wrapped in thin, almost translucent pap...

Citrus ripening: what changes in the fruit and why it matters

When you buy an orange in the supermarket, it may have been picked weeks ago while still green, then ripened in a cold store with ethylene gas. When you buy one direct from the grower in Valencia, ...

Buddha’s hand — what it is, what it tastes like and how to use this juiceless citrus

Buddha’s hand is a citrus fruit with no pulp or juice whose value lies entirely in the rind. What it is, what it smells like, how to use it in the kitchen and how it differs from other citrus.

Moro blood orange: the Sicilian variety we grow in Valencia

The Moro blood orange, originally from Sicily and grown in our Valencia grove, stands out for its garnet flesh and complex flavour between sweet and bitter. No post-harvest treatment, from the tree...

The lime — what it is, how it differs from lemon and how to use it in the kitchen

A lime is not an unripe lemon. They are different species with distinct aromatic profiles. Varieties, culinary uses and why they are not always interchangeable in recipes.

Biodynamic Agriculture: Benefits for a Sustainable Future

In the search for more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices, biodynamic agriculture has seemed to us to be a promising alternative. In fact, we are going to apply these t...

Blood orange — varieties, properties and how to use it in the kitchen

The blood orange is not the orange you normally buy. It is smaller, more intense in flavour, and its flesh ranges from garnet to near-black. Cut one in half and it looks as though someone has put a...