The Incorruptible's oranges
Nothing to cook: fresh oranges, peeled and divided into segments, the very gesture of the tribune. They can be presented dusted with a cloud of sugar or scented with a little orange blossom water.
Nothing to cook: fresh oranges, peeled and divided into segments, the very gesture of the tribune. They can be presented dusted with a cloud of sugar or scented with a little orange blossom water.
They reproach me for many severities, but let me at least have my oranges! It is my only weakness, I confess it without shame: I peel them, share the segments, and pile up the peels without noticing while I work. This fruit from the South has the tangy freshness that clears the mind. Take one, citizen, separate it into segments, and you will know the only luxury I allow myself.
- •Oranges from the South or Spain — as many as desired (fruit)
- •Fine sugar — a cloud (optional) (sweeten)
- •Orange blossom water — a few drops (optional) (flavor)
The Incorruptible's oranges
Nothing to cook: fresh oranges, peeled and divided into segments, the very gesture of the tribune. They can be presented dusted with a cloud of sugar or scented with a little orange blossom water.
Why this dish? This is THE attested pleasure of Robespierre: his contemporaries reported that he consumed oranges in quantity, leaving piles of peels near him. In a life of displayed austerity, this fruit from the South, shipped at great cost, was his only small indulgence — which he nibbled both at table and during his working days.
They reproach me for many severities, but let me at least have my oranges! It is my only weakness, I confess it without shame: I peel them, share the segments, and pile up the peels without noticing while I work. This fruit from the South has the tangy freshness that clears the mind. Take one, citizen, separate it into segments, and you will know the only luxury I allow myself.
Ingredients (period version)
- Oranges from the South or Spain — as many as desired (fruit)
- Fine sugar — a cloud (optional) (sweeten)
- Orange blossom water — a few drops (optional) (flavor)
Ingredients
- Juicy oranges — 4 (fruit)
- Icing sugar — 1 tsp (optional) (sweeten)
- Orange blossom water — a few drops (optional) (flavor)
Method
- Choose heavy, fragrant oranges with firm skin.
- Peel them completely or simply by hand, reserving some zest if desired.
- Separate into segments and arrange in a rosette in a bowl.
- If desired, dust with a veil of sugar and a few drops of orange blossom water.
- Serve chilled, to share as Robespierre did between tasks.
How it was made : In the 18th century, the orange was a semi-luxury fruit, imported from the Mediterranean basin and stored in the orangeries of the wealthy. Robespierre's fondness for this fruit is one of the few intimate traits that collective memory has retained of him, transmitted through the recollections of his close associates and contemporaries.
The contemporary twist : Present the segments on a bed of crushed ice with a sprinkle of grated zest: "The Incorruptible's plate", guaranteed freshness.
Robespierre · Charactorium