Fresh and ripe oranges were arranged on the table, cut into wedges and served as chilled juice in champagne flutes at the launch last week of the Australian Embassy’s orange campaign.

The annual event was held this year at the private dining room of Bondi&Bourke, a new restaurant in Makati serving Australian-inspired food. Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell and three Filipino-Australian talents shared their childhood memories with oranges.

Chef Wade Watson then quickly whipped up three dishes that incorporated the fruit or freshly squeezed juice.

“When I was younger, I used to play rugby. As a pick-me-up during halftime, I would whack an orange on my knee to split it open and then peel off the rind with my teeth. That was my snack,” the ambassador said.

Guests Iya Villania, Chris Everingham of the Philippine Volcanoes and Fely Irvine, formerly of The Voice and Hi-5 Australia, gave similar stories.

CLOCKWISE from top left: David Daniels of Citrus Australia, Anthony Weymouth of Austrade Manila, Ambassador Bill Tweddell, Suzanne Ong of the Victorian government, Fely Irvine of Hi-5 Australia, Chris Everingham and Iya Villania

“They’re best chopped up and eaten as is,” Villania said, while Irvine recalled walking 10 kilometers with classmates as part of their school’s curriculum and being given a slice of orange after each kilometer.

CHRIS Everingham of the Philippine Volcanoes with Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell

“My mom would slice up and squeeze oranges before placing them in the freezer. When they were frozen solid, we called them icy cups—they’re like popsicles,” Everingham said.

Aside from the frozen treats made by Everingham’s mother, all of them agreed that vitamin C-rich oranges are best eaten as is.

Options

“We tapped chef Wade who came up with honey orange chicken, a peppery arugula and citrus salad and grilled chicken with honey and orange sauce because we wanted to give people options on how to enjoy Australian oranges. We use calamansi in my own home, not just as juice but as flavoring for food,” Anthony Weymouth, minister counsellor and senior trade commissioner at the Australian Trade Commission, told Inquirer Lifestyle.

“Even the chef uses the juice of 50 oranges weekly in his cooking,” he added.

Australia’s fruit industry is known for its world-class food safety standards and innovative traceability systems.

“Through this technology, each batch of fruit can be tracked from the farm to the packing house until it reaches the Philippines,” said David Daniels, market access manager of Citrus Australia at the launch.

Favorable weather in Australia this season has resulted in a bumper crop.

“Australia’s geographic proximity means a shorter delivery time to the Philippines which translates to freshness and prolonged shelf life,” Weymouth said.

“Australian Oranges—Now in Season” runs until Aug. 31 at key outlets of Landmark, Robinsons, Rustans, Shopwise and SM Supermarkets.