Media: Las Provincias
Original title: El ácido en la gastronomía valenciana: del encurtido al cóctel
Author: Paloma Chen
Date: July 3, 2026
In the Valencian Community, acidity is far from being a secondary taste. It brings freshness, balances richness, enhances aromas, and cleanses the palate. The quintessential symbols of Valencian acidity are citrus fruits, especially oranges and lemons. Lemons, in particular, are an essential accompaniment at the table, served alongside rice dishes and fried fish.
Although oranges reign supreme in desserts, they have also found their way into savoury cuisine and innovative fields such as cocktail making. “Valencia’s most important fruit, the orange, plays a starring role on our cocktail menu at Atenea Sky,” explains Felipe Soares, the mixologist at the iconic rooftop terrace overlooking Valencia’s City Hall.
Soares, who is also bar manager at Maravella, Front and Tatel, all part of the Valencia Best Places group, says his favourite flavour is acidity: “I come from Brazil, a tropical country, where we prefer more acidic flavours because they’re fresher and perfect for drinks that remain enjoyable for longer.”
Freshness is the defining feature of the Agua de Atenea, a reinterpretation of the traditional Agua de Valencia: “We use a neutral-flavoured spirit as the base, then add orange and honey. One citrus element, one sweet element, and a blend of acids create a very refreshing cocktail.” The drink is finished with a sprig of rosemary: “Rosemary and orange—this cocktail couldn’t be more Valencian!”
Yet citrus fruits are not defined solely by their acidity. In fact, the oranges, mandarins and lemons we consume today are the result of centuries of human selection and hybridisation in different parts of the world, giving them flavours that are more balanced and appealing. At Todolí Citrus Fundació, in the town of Palmera, in the Safor region, there is a collection of more than 500 citrus varieties. Some are intensely acidic or bitter, while others are surprisingly sweet. Through this initiative, the foundation showcases the extraordinary diversity of citrus fruits, a diversity now at risk due to the predominance of only a handful of commercial varieties.
The project was founded by Vicente Todolí, inspired by his family’s long-standing connection to citrus growing. Today, the orchard houses what is probably the world’s largest collection of citrus trees cultivated in the open air. The acidity of citrus fruits depends on the variety, the degree of ripeness, and the types of acids they contain. As the foundation’s website explains, the Fino lemon is a staple on Spanish tables. Derived from the old Común variety cultivated in Murcia, it has an exceptionally juicy pulp with high acidity. According to data from the Interprofessional Association of Lemon and Grapefruit, its juice accounts for around 50% of the fruit’s total weight, with an acidity of approximately 72 grams of citric acid per litre.
