Now is the best time to discover the taste of Tarocco, Lempso, and Moro oranges grown in volcanic soil rich in minerals.
Sicily is renowned as a citrus paradise, and January is a particularly busy time in the local groves. This is when the harvest of "blood" oranges of the local Tarocco, Moro, Lempso, and Sanguinello varieties takes place.
Blood oranges are unique varieties of oranges grown mainly in eastern Sicily, especially around the foot of Mount Etna and in the provinces of Catania, Siracusa, and Enna. These areas combine rich volcanic soil and a specific climate, which are key to the characteristic red color of the flesh and the distinctive taste of the fruit.
The main varieties grown here are Tarocco, Moro, Lempso, and Sanguinello. These varieties originated as natural mutations and gradually gained a reputation for their high content of anthocyanins—pigments with antioxidants that give oranges their red color and contribute to their health benefits.
Sicily's climate plays a key role in cultivation: large daily temperature differences in winter – warm days and cold nights – promote pigment formation, while volcanic soil provides nutritious minerals. This gives the flesh its characteristic red color and the oranges a balanced sweetness and aromatic flavor.
Harvesting takes place mainly in the winter months (December to March/April) and the fruit is used both fresh and for processing (e.g., juices). Sicilian blood oranges are not only an important agricultural product but also a cultural symbol of the island.
Which Sicilian varieties can you try at the italians?
TAROCCO
Tarocco is probably the best-known Sicilian variety. It has a very sweet, distinctive, and juicy flavor with subtle acidic notes. It contains only a minimum of seeds and has the highest vitamin C content of all varieties. It is ideal not only for direct consumption but also for preparing fresh juices, desserts, or fruit salads.
MORO
Moro is most often grown on the slopes of Mount Etna in volcanic soil rich in minerals, which gives this variety its specific flavor. It is very intense, sweet and at the same time distinctly sour, with a slightly bitter taste. Therefore, it is suitable not only for juices, jams, and salads, but also for meat sauces, sorbets, and cocktails. Its dark flesh contains many healthy anthocyanin pigments, which have antioxidant effects.
LEMPSO
Lempso is a lesser-known and somewhat overlooked variety. It has a delicate, sweet taste with minimal acidity. Like Moro, it contains a lot of anthocyanins and is easy to peel. Thanks to its attractive appearance, it is often used to garnish dishes, in fruit salads, or simply as a healthy snack. Compared to the previous two varieties, it is slightly less juicy, so it is not very suitable for juicing.