The peel-good factor

The presence and scent of citrus fruits have long put the zest into Christmas, whether candied, stuffed, studded with cloves, poached or even lauded in literature, says

- Deborah Nicholls-Lee

AS a child, there was something so exciting about the mystery bumps and curves of my stuffed Christmas stocking, tinged with the anticipation of reaching in my hand and pulling out all the tightly packed treats. However, one thing never changed: at the very bottom, pressed into the toe, there was always a familiar plump little bulge: a sweet, juicy satsuma.

Nothing looks and smells more like Christmas than orange zest and spices, from delicate slices of dried orange woven into door wreaths and tree decorations to Christingles burning brightly in church. It might seem baffling that this non-native species should be such a key component of a British Christmas, but mix a bit of folklore in with some history and the picture becomes clearer.

According to one legend, the shiny clementines so many children find in their stockings on Christmas morning owe their existence to the legend of the philanthropist St Nicholas, who evolved into the modern-day Santa Claus. These orange orbs recall the gold he tossed down the chimney of a family in need, and which tumbled into the children's stockings hung there to dry.

This association between orange-skinned citrus fruits and Christmas may be up to 400 years old, from when oranges first appeared in British kitchens. Originating in the Far East, it's thought that the sweet-eating orange as opposed to the bitter Seville-didn't reach the Mediterranean until the 15th century, thriving in the warm Spanish climate for a century or so until transportation became efficient enough for the oranges, packed in straw, to reach northern Europe without perishing.

Ripening in November after a summer of sun, these cheerful-looking fruits brought a little brightness into the dark winter months. It is their seasonality that best explains their association with the festive period, as well as their rarity at the time, which meant that they tended to be saved for special occasions.