Oranges
All citrus trees are of the single genus Citrus, and remain largely interbreedable; that is, there is only one "superspecies" which includes grapefruits, lemons, limes and oranges.
Oranges are widely grown in warm climates worldwide, and the flavours of oranges vary from sweet to sour. The fruit is commonly peeled and eaten fresh, or squeezed for its juice.
The orange has a thick bitter rind that is usually discarded. It is also used in certain recipes as flavouring or a garnish. The outer-most layer of the rind can be grated or thinly veneered with a tool called a zester, to produce orange zest. Zest is popular in cooking because it contains the oil glands and has a strong flavour similar to the fleshy inner part of the orange.
Preserved orange peel is available from Asian stores, soft and pliable ,semi-dried and coated with sugar.
Removing the wax coating from oranges
non organic citrus fruit is coated with a thin layer of wax (either petroleum based or natural), which prevents water loss and therefore extends the shelf life. Wax is also used for aesthetic reasons. Apparently, as consumers, we demand shiny fruit. Organic fruit is not waxed as that would not be permitted under organic standards.
Here are a couple of methods that you can use to remove wax from oranges:
Boiling water
- Place fruit in a colander
- Boil a kettle & leave to cool for 5 minutes
- Pour over the fruit
- Using gloves to protect your hands from the heat, scrub the fruit with a small brush
- Rinse with cold water and wipe dry with paper towels
Microwave
- Microwave fruit for 10 seconds
- Using gloves to protect your hands from the heat, scrub the fruit with a small brush
- Rinse with cold water and wipe dry with paper towels
How much does one cup of orange flesh weigh?
Estimated US cup to weight equivalents:
| Ingredient | US Cups | Grams | Ounces | |
| Orange flesh | segments/large pieces/ flesh only | 1 |
225 grams | 8 ounces |
Conversion notes:
Every ingredient has a cups to ounces or grams conversion table. Search for the ingredient, cup to weight conversions are at the end of each ingredient page.
We also have a generic conversion table and a portions per person lookup.
Seasonal Information: Blood oranges
This information relates to countries in the Northern Hemisphere; United Kingdom, USA, Europe, Canada, Russia, etc.
Blood oranges are at their best and in season during the following months: January & February.
Seasonal Information: Oranges
This information is specifically for countries in the northern temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; particularly the United Kingdom, however it should be applicable for northern USA, northern Europe, Canada, Russia, etc.'
Oranges are at their best and in season during the following months: January, February & March.
Seasonal Information: Seville oranges
This information is specifically for countries in the northern temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; particularly the United Kingdom, however it should be applicable for northern USA, northern Europe, Canada, Russia, etc.'
Seville oranges are at their best and in season during the following months: December, January & February