Curaçao: The Orange That Named a Liqueur - The History of Fresh Produce

About this episode

The episode explores the history of the laraha orange and its transformation into curaçao liqueur, alongside the cultural and trade significance of Curaçao.

Why did a Valencia orange, abandoned on a tiny arid Caribbean island, transform into a new species that nobody could eat — and how did that inedible fruit end up in cocktail bars on every continent? What made the harbour of Willemstad one of the most consequential trading posts in the Atlantic world, and what does the story of Sephardic refugees, the slave trade, and a language assembled from seven others tell us about how Curaçao became Curaçao? And why does the blue liquid in most bottles labelled "curaçao" contain nothing from the island at all? Join John and Patrick as they tell the story of the laraha — the accidental species, the Dutch distillers, and the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup... ---------- In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh. The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here ! ----------- Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Support us! Share this episode with your friends Give a 5-star rating Write a review ----------- Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book…

People in this episode

Host: Patrick

Guest: John

Topics covered

• history of produce
• Curaçao
• laraha orange
• cocktail culture
• trade history
• Sephardic refugees
• distillation

Keywords

• laraha
• curaçao
• Valencia orange
• Dutch distillers
• cocktail bars
• Sephardic refugees
• slave trade
• Willemstad
• history of fresh produce

Sponsors

J&K Fresh

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Curaçao, Willemstad, Caribbean, Atlantic

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