History of the Florida Orange

Citrus and Florida are an image that goes hand in hand, but this was not always the case. Citrus fruits were brought to the United States in the 1500s when Ponce de Leon stepped foot on the land that would later be dubbed “Florida.” During the 1600s, the Spanish tried several times to settle in this part of what is now the United States. These failed attempts left little behind, with the noted exception of the bright oranges in the trees. It is believed that the Spanish colonizers were confronted by the native people of this area and that the natives obtained sour orange seeds from the Spanish. While the Spanish were eventually pushed out, the crop stayed. Later, when English settlers moved into the Florida area, they discovered the fruit and the remains of the Native cultures that lived there. Unfortunately, those natives had been completely wiped out of the area by the 17th century because of disease, conflict, or being forced into slavery. Those that managed to leave the area moved around and reconnected with former slaves or remaining native populations to form new tribes.

Over time, the settlers in Florida bred the sour oranges to be sweeter and more flavorful. This appealed to a mass market, and orange groves sprung up all over rural communities and farmers became dedicated to the fruit. Orange growers tried to cultivate the plant in Georgia and the Carolinas, but there was a freeze in 1835 that killed all the citrus in the Southeast. This had a great impact on the Florida Orange, as most of the farmers in those other regions moved south and started growing their oranges in Florida. By the 1870s, the citrus business was booming. A railroad was fully operational through Florida and farmers were able to ship the fruit out to other parts of the country. Despite the fruit not being incredibly fresh when it reached its distant destinations, oranges were a hit and gained some real popularity across the country. Just as the popularity of citrus fruits, oranges especially, was beginning to skyrocket, tragedy struck. In December of 1894, on the 29th day of the month, a terrible cold swept through the orange groves and killed most of the crop, turning the oranges black and rendering them useless. The weather began to warm and luckily established, mature trees had survived even if their fruit had not. The weeks following the freeze were warmer and wetter and encouraged new growth. Unfortunately, a second freeze swept through Florida on February 7th and destroyed everything. Some of the trees snapped so loudly from the expanding ice inside of them that they cracked and fell apart with a loud bang reminiscent of a gunshot. The orange economy of Florida was completely devastated. Families and farmers who could afford it moved further south and more inland in Florida, and decades later the industry was flourishing once more.

Today, orange farmers are facing another issue. Many of the orange groves in Florida have been struck by a disease called “Citrus Greening” or “Yellow Dragon Disease.” This is an illness of the tree that is carried by small bugs often referred to as plant lice or psyllids. The bug will inject bacteria into the orange trees that will eventually starve the nutrients from the tree, causing citrus fruits to never fully ripen or completely fall off the tree while they are still small and green. This disease first appeared in Florida in 2005 and has since been devastating crops. New technological advances have helped trees be more resistant to the disease, but scientists are still unsure if it will ever be cured. Once trees are infected, they have to be completely removed and then new trees must be replanted, however the risk is that the new trees will get the disease too. Another issue a citrus farmer may face is that it takes a few years for the trees to bear good fruit, so they must halt their production to regrow their groves. This is an enormous expense for many farmers, one that most cannot endure.

Oranges are a huge part of Florida’s economy, bringing in billions of dollars annually. The greening disease is hindering one of the industries that has defined Florida for more than a century now. The license plates from Florida have oranges on them and the state beverage is orange juice! Scientists today are feverishly working around the clock to solve the greening problem, since it is nearly impossible to imagine Florida without her orange groves.

Florida Orange Peel Cultivation

Our Florida Orange Peel comes from oranges grown in the United States. The types of oranges used depend on the time of year. During winter, the oranges used are navel and sub-varieties of that orange. During the summer, it’s Valencia and the sub-varieties of that kind of orange. These are all sweet oranges with a lot of flavor in their peel.

Where is it from?

Our Florida Orange Peel comes from Florida.

Cooking with Florida Orange Peel

Florida Orange Peel is frequently called for in baking recipes, but it has so many unexpected savory recipes as well! Use it in marinades and dressings. Add it to your favorite chicken, vegetable, seafood or rice-based dishes. This is a popular ingredient for people who like to brew their own beers at home, make their own tea blends, or even makers of potpourri! The lovely scent of the orange peel is a wonderful fragrance to have in your home. Orange peel is used frequently in Japanese, Southeast Asian, and Mediterranean cuisines. Dried orange peel is widely used in Chinese cuisines, mostly in sauces for chicken and beef or dishes that require long simmering or stir-frying to cook.

When used in combination with other spices, Florida Orange Peel is nicely complimented by mint, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sage and rosemary.

Dried vs Fresh

Dried peel has a more concentrated flavor than fresh peel. It is suitable to use in certain kinds of recipes, particularly liquid recipes, but it may help to rehydrate this peel when you want to use it in a baked good or a sweet. To rehydrate Florida Orange Peel, add three parts of water to everyone one part peel and let it sit for about 15 minutes before you use it.

What Does Florida Orange Peel Taste Like?

Our Florida Orange Peel is highly fragrant and has a lovely, potent citrus flavor.

Meeting Your Business Needs with Our Products

Our Florida Orange Peel is the stuff of a brewer’s dreams. It is extremely fragrant and has a potent flavor, making it the perfect addition to your seasonal brews. Some of our customers rely on Florida Orange Peel to make their light beers taste well-rounded and sunny. Our customers who are into baking love this peel for its brightness and bittersweet citrus flavor in their baked goods and sweets. Buying high quality Florida Orange Peel in bulk is a good choice, especially for our restaurant customers who are always looking for new and innovative ways to incorporate interesting flavors into their dishes. If you are someone who is looking to expand into different flavor profiles or you are just deeply invested in creating authentic Chinese sauces, this is a product you need to be purchasing in bulk!

Substitutions and Conversions

Dried orange peel is much more potent than fresh orange peel, so you only need 1/3 of the amount of dried peel when fresh zest is called for in a recipe.

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