Sparkling and creamy Orange Julius. A popular drink since the 1920s. Originally a simple orange juice stand in Los Angeles was owned by a struggling businessman named Julius Freed. One of his clients devised a drink that would reduce the acidity of orange juice just by adding milk, egg whites, and a bit of sweetener to it, and then churning it. Thus was born the Orange Julius drink, which was an instant hit, turning Mr. Freed’s boring juice stand into a bonanza. (One can only hope that the client who created it got a percentage.) Now owned by Dairy Queen, the drink remains basically the same.

Oranges date back to 2500 BC. C. in China and are the most cultivated fruit tree in the world. Between the 10th and 15th centuries, oranges appeared in Spain and southern Italy thanks to well-traveled trade routes. In the mid-17th century, King Louis XIV of France ordered a large orange grove to be planted on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. (When those French kings liked something, they didn’t waste time.)

Spanish explorers probably brought oranges to the Americas and Mexico sometime in the 16th century, traveling as far as Florida and southern California over the next century. Clearly, those two states dominate the US citrus market due to their ideal climates. Although British sailors were nicknamed “Limeys”, it is more likely that oranges were a favorite passengers on ships, providing vitamin C and fruit for the crews. Loved around the world, both the popular Valencia and navel orange are inexpensive, have a long shelf life and provide nutrition for people of all ages, and their juice remains the number one breakfast preference. The actual trees and fruit have been mutated and grafted over centuries to achieve the desirable fruit we know today. In the US, 60% of the orange crop is grown in Florida with a current value of 1,170 million. Internationally, in 2015 71 million tons of oranges were produced, led by Brazil with 24%, followed by China and India.

In Spain and Italy, meanwhile, blood oranges, named for the red color of their flesh, had been common since the 15th century, but were a latecomer to the US market and achieved some popularity in recent decades.

During his travels to France, Foodies President Thomas Jefferson became acquainted with the orange and surely had the fruit shipped to him from Florida when he resided in Monticello and enjoyed it in season, along with jam for breakfast. (Not much was lost in the fruit department.) Although he did not grow orange trees in his own orchards, he did plant false orange trees for their fragrant flowers.

With the invention of refrigerated shipping and railways, oranges became a huge cash crop, and demand has increased every decade. Americans love their oranges in many different ways:

Creamsicles: First appeared in 1923 from the Popsicle Company, a refreshing sherbet of orange and vanilla ice cream on a stick;

Orange sherbet – a frozen dessert similar to sherbet but containing a small amount of milk solids to give it a creamier texture, by far the most popular flavor;

Orange juice and fresh oranges peeled and eaten sliced ​​or chopped; in its simplest form;

Orange juice drinks: These are usually made with a small amount of juice or flavoring, lots of water, and sugar;

Cranberry Orange Bread: Your basic orange bread with added cranberries, also muffins;

Orange Flavored Candies – Jelly, hard jelly beans, the most popular flavor for many candies, including chocolate covered orange peel; (remember Chuckles? Which flavor did you look for first?)

Orange Soda Pop: Orange Crush, the first carbonated orange soda, launched in 1911, followed by Fanta Orange, originating in Germany as a cola substitute in 1940, and Sunkist, the three best-selling brands;

Orange Jam: discovered by the Greeks and Romans, first made with quince and honey, it differs slightly from other jams by using the fruit peel; the British and Scots have been eating jam since the 18th century;

Sunkist, Minute Maid, and Tropicana: giants in the industry for orange juice, citrus-flavored soft drinks, and other products;

Orange Chicken – Popular Hunan Chinese chicken dish with breaded, deep-fried chicken pieces covered in a sweet orange sauce;

Duck a l’Orange: Those French chefs aren’t missing a trick; roast duck with orange sauce, fit for a king;

Although oranges share the citrus market with their close cousins ​​lemon, lime, and grapefruit, their sweetness sets them apart, taking their place among the top five favorite American fruits, and they’re not just for breakfast anymore. That guy Julio. It must have started something.