Seville orange syrup (sharab al-busfeyr)
February 23, 2014 • Category: Beverages
This delicious syrup is made with the juice of Seville oranges (busfeyr) and sugar. Now is the season for these types of oranges, which are prized in Lebanon (and the Eastern Mediterranean in general) for their sweet and sour flavor. Their season is short, so folks would either freeze their juice or make this syrup which lasts for one year at least, and drink it diluted in water in the Summer months.
We tried planting these oranges in our orchard but it did not take (altitude is too high); my neighbor Camelia on the other hand, whose orchard is only a few feet lower, is able to grow a few trees and generously gives us a few pounds each year. She gave me her family’s recipe.
I was offered this drink at the home of an acquaintance and when I was expressing my delight and sipping it slowly, he proudly said: “my wife made it”
NOTE: This syrup can be made with other types of citrus, such as clementines, tangerines, other types of oranges, etc. I found Seville oranges in Dallas in my neighborhood Middle-Eastern store as well as at Latino markets and upscale supermarkets.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds of Seville (or other) oranges, juiced (can use more or less)
- Sugar (use the same weight as the juice)
1. Juice the oranges; if using Seville oranges, be careful not to press too hard while juicing them, as the white pith is bitter and will increase the sourness of the juice. Measure the juice and transfer into a bowl; add the same quantity of sugar. Stir several times a day until the sugar dissolves. It may take a couple of days. Leave the bowl out on the counter. Make sure the utensils stay dry and not one drop of water gets into the bowl.
2. Transfer the syrup to a clean (and sterilized bottle) and keep in the fridge once opened; it will keep for a year. When serving, pour the syrup, say, 1/4 cup, into a glass; add 3/4 cup water, and stir to combine; top with crushed ice if desired.
NOTE: Come to think of it, a blender could be used to stir the sugar into the juice; turn it on for a few seconds every so often throughout the day.
Comments
12 Comments • Comments Feed
Alicia (foodycat) says:
Oh how delicious! And then you have all the lovely peel to make orangettes with!
On February 23, 2014 at 3:47 am
Hannelore says:
That sounds like it will be a wonderful treat in the heat of summer. I live in the Dallas area as well, and I’d love to know the name of the market you shop in.
On February 23, 2014 at 8:01 am
Joumana says:
@Hannelore: I have seen these at Sara’s Bakery on sherman and spring valley; also at Fiesta’s on coit; I have seen it at Central Market in Plano as well.
On February 23, 2014 at 9:38 am
tom | tall clover says:
Joumana, what a nice quenching treat to enjoy. I don’t have access to Seville oranges but I may try a mix of Meyer lemons and Navel oranges and see if that works. Merci!
On February 23, 2014 at 10:14 am
Elizabeth says:
Looks great I will bookmark this for our Seville orange season. I’m not so much of a marmalade fan so I can never be bothered to make it so this looks like a perfect use for Seville oranges for me.
On February 24, 2014 at 12:25 am
Oui, Chef says:
YUM….bet this would be good with a fizzy water too!
On February 25, 2014 at 11:02 am
marlene says:
hello joumana ! hope you’re doing good
yesterday i received a bottle which looks exactly like sharab el busfeyr , but it turned out to be “passion fruit syrup” and it tastes really good . so i looked for a recipe here but i didn’t found one so i thought that you should try it too.
have a nice day
On August 5, 2014 at 4:16 am
lara says:
Bonsoir.je voudrais me renseigner sur votre livre.j’ai l’intention de l’offrir a maman et je voulais savoir si c’est les mêmes recettes que sur le blog( elle lit votre blog depuis bien longtemps ).merci et bonne soirée
On October 9, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Joumana says:
@Lara: Le livre contient un mélange de recette traditionelles et de recettes plus “modernes” que j’ai crées. Certaines recettes viennent du blog, un peu modifiées quand meme, et donc j’ai été obligée de les enlever du blog pour plaire a l’éditeur. Merci de votre intérêt! 🙂
On October 10, 2014 at 1:30 am
lara says:
mais de rien ! je vous en prie 🙂
elle est une grande fan de vous , ca va lui plaire j’en suis sure!
encore une question : maman est a la recherche d’une recette de pate a la farine de mais pour faire des galettes au thym depuis bien longtemps , est elle dans votre livre ? merci beaucoup. une excellente journee a vous 🙂
On October 10, 2014 at 8:53 am
RonaldChief says:
I have checked your blog and i’ve found some duplicate content, that’s why you don’t
rank high in google, but there is a tool that can help you to create
100% unique content, search for; Best article rewritwer Ercannou’s essential tools
On March 11, 2018 at 10:42 am
BestRosalina says:
I see you don’t monetize your blog, don’t waste
your traffic, you can earn extra cash every month. You can use the best adsense alternative for any type of website (they approve all websites),
for more details simply search in gooogle: boorfe’s
tips monetize your website
On August 12, 2018 at 11:34 am