Orange Flower or Neroli

The bitter orange tree ( Citrus aurantium ) is wildly grown in the western parts of India, eastern Africa and Himalayas, and cultivated in India and countries of Mediterranean basin. The fruits are yellow-green and smaller than those of sweet orange. Raw fruits are not edible because they are bitter and sour, but they are widely used in medicine, cookery, fragrance and cosmetic industry.

The bitter orange is rich with vitamins and minerals. As well as the other citrus fruit, it contains a lot of vitamin C, which makes it helpful in curing scurvy as well as for anaemia treatment, which needs vitamin C provision for better absorption of iron.

It helps purifying the blood, and there are some reports that say that it dissolves the kidney stone. It is thought that it is capable of `breaking` the tumours. Pregnant women are the only ones who are advised to use bitter orange carefully. Because of its nerve-calming effect, it is advisory to use it against insomnia cases.

Orange flower or neroli is also very widespread in aromatherapy and perfume industry. It cures insomnia and depression and calms the nerves; its effects on soul, emotional and physical condition is invaluable and almost miraculous.

Add only few drops of this essential oil in a warm bath and you will become relaxed and calm, and it will put you in high spirits. Orange flower is considered to be symbol of innocence, fertility and eternal love and therefore is commonly used in marital rituals.

Neroli oil is produced by steam distillation of bitter orange fresh flowers; and so-called orange flower absolute, which is even more appreciated and smells intensely sweet, almost like fresh flowers, is produced by extraction. The oil is made in North Africa, France, Italy and North America. The biggest producer of the best oil is Tunisia.

The title neroli originates from the name of one small, Middle Italian town near Rome and its princess.

At the end of the 16th century, Anne Marie Orsini (Anna Maria de la Tremoille), originally French, beautiful princess, began to use scents for her everyday purposes, scenting her wardrobe and making beautifully-smelling baths from her favourite scent that spread through the air at those very surroundings, when the oranges blossom in the spring.

She was the first person who distilled orange flowers and made flower essential oil. That aroma was so stupefying and seductive that soon enough all the local residents were using that same scent with due respect and bowing to her.

Soon the scented aphrodisiac, that spread through the town, was entitled Nerola or Neroli in her honour, containing sweet flowery notes mixed with sensual musk, which was favourite ingredient of the perfume compositions until then.

Orange flower can be found in several perfumes, for women or men. Here, we are going to enlist some of them in which its scent is the most recognizable. Orange flower appears in the name of several niche homes: limited edition 2003 Neroli Annick Goutal is still selling. Old English house Yardley has Orange Blossom in its monothematic collection as well as the relatively young English house Joe Malone. Orange Blossom Joe Malone is light, with green freshness of twigs and pleasant citrus notes. Jean Paul Guerlain has put orange flower into his collection Aqua Allegoria by the title Flora Nerolia, sweet intense with pleasant bitterness of pettitegraine in high note.

You can find Neroli in L`Occitane fragrance line, their latest, the second one orange flower dominated fragrance is Notre Flore Neroli (2007). Creed made citrus-based unisex Neroli Sauvage in 1994.

This 2007, orange flower dominated in new limited Organza Fleur d`Oranger de Nabeul Givenchy thanks to which traditionally jasmine-tuberoses based Organza received new unusual tone. HRH Princess Elisabeth proposes bouquet consisted of white jasmine, hyacinth and iris along with orange flower, to her first perfume E. Two very original fragrances for men have been issued this year: Fleur du Male by Jean Paul Gaultier and Fahrenheit 32 Dior. Flower scent dominates in the both of the perfumes, but the composition has not lost on its masculinity.

A LITTLE SONG ABOUT THE FIRST KISS

In the green morning
I wish I was a heart.
The heart.

In the late afternoon
I wish I was a nightingale.
The nightingale.

My darling, dress yourself in the colour of orange.
My darling, dress yourself in the colour of love.

In the lively morning
I wish I was me.
The heart.

And in the evening
I wish I was your voice.
The nightingale.

My darling, dress yourself in the colour of orange.
My darling, dress yourself in the colour of love.

Federico Garcia Lorca

Moroccan salad with orange flower
The following refreshing plate is considered to be a salad in Morocco.

4 big oranges, peeled
2 large spoons of honey
1 large spoon of orange juice
¼ teaspoon of orange flower water
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
mint twig for decoration

Peel the oranges and remove all the white strings with sharp knife. Cut the oranges in pieces width-cross.
Warm up the honey, add the orange juice and orange flower water. Pour the liquid over the cut oranges, let it cool, then keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Serve in separate plates, sprinkled with cinnamon. Decorate with twigs of fresh mint.
Instead of cinnamon, you can use rose water.

See orange blossom on video.

Author: Sandrina (sandrina_bambina)
Fragrantica Member