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The orange (Citrus spp.) is a fruit and one of the best-known citrus fruits. Like other citrus fruits, it originates from China and Southeast Asia. For culinary purposes, oranges are divided into two main groups: bitter and sweet. Bitter oranges include bergamot (Citrus bergamia), whose essential oil is used to fragrance cosmetics, and bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), which is not generally eaten raw. Its fruit is used to make excellent marmalade, while essential oils extracted from the aromatic rind are added to liqueurs such as curaçao and to orange-blossom drinks. Bitter oranges also make a piquant accompaniment to some meat and fish dishes.
The fruit of the sweet orange tree (Citrus sinensis) is available throughout the year and used in many ways: as table fruit, cut into salads, sliced into drinks, or used as a garnish. The juice is not only a popular drink but also an ingredient in sauces and frying batter. The aromatic peel of fruit that has not been chemically treated is grated into dough, while orange shells can be filled with salads or ice cream, and pieces of peel can be candied. Orange trees are grown mainly in Spain, Israel, South Africa, and the southern states of the United States. Oranges are classified as common, blood, or navel oranges, the last of which contains a small secondary fruit embedded inside. Valencia and Jaffa oranges are commonly sold; they are juiced and added to vegetable and fruit salads. Navel oranges are also suitable for salads. Blood oranges are small, with a rougher peel and sweet, juicy flesh that can be purple-red. They are usually eaten as fruit but can also be used in salads. Another common cultivar is Ortanique, which has flattened fruit.