09/01/2025
The Blood Orange of Sicily is an exceptional fruit that primarily grows in the plains of Catania, near Mount Etna.
Citrus fruits have been part of Sicilian culture since at least 450 A.D. The blood orange arrived in the 1600s, brought by a missionary from the Philippines. First described by Giovanni Battista Ferrari in 1646, it quickly became popular, especially along Sicily’s eastern coast, where it thrives.
After almost 400 years of cultivation, the blood orange is now recognised as one of the symbols of Sicily, both in Italy and worldwide. This fruit can only develop in the soils of Sicily's eastern coast, as only here do the land and climate conditions allow the trees to produce red-fleshed fruit with a perfectly balanced taste, sweet yet tangy.
Thanks to this deep connection with its territory, the Blood Orange of Sicily was granted the "Protected Geographical Indication" label, a recognition awarded to culinary excellences whose characteristics are directly tied to the region where they are produced.
Cheers from Italy!
📸 pillole di Sicilia
