Orange

/ˈɒrɪn(d)ʒ/

a large round juicy citrus fruit with a tough bright reddish -yellow rind. There are a variety of oranges. Most common are the sweet oranges or Citrus sinensis. These are the Navel, Mandarin, Valencia and Jaffa varieties. A new hybrid, called the blood orange, has reddish veins.

Oranges are originally from Asia. They were brought to Spain with the Moorish invasion and then in the 15th century, the Spanish Armada brought orange trees to the Caribbean. Oranges were coveted by sailors who needed the Vitamin C from them on long voyages to combat scurvy. A medium sized orange apparently has 116% of the recommended daily allowance and is reputed for fighting off colds and viruses.

Some people believe the antioxidants in oranges can combat inflammatory disease such as arthritis and asthma. The World Health Organisation published a report outlining that a diet rich in oranges provides cardiovascular benefits and a study in Australia showed people who regularly ate oranges had almost a 50% less likelihood of stomach and esophageal cancers.

Well that aside, I use them in baking, salads, breads, puddings and smoothies because they taste fabulous!

Recipes using oranges

• Cardamom Madelines with Orange Glaze
• Orange and Pistachio Yoghurt Cake
• Orange (Bucks Fizz) Macaroons – tenuous link to oranges but yummy nonetheless!
• Orange and Chocolate Chip Brioche
• Orange Polenta Loaf Cakes 
• Orange Meringue Tarts
• Swiss Roll with Marmalade