Stash Blood Orange Tea

The sweet orange is the most popular of all citrus fruits. It originated in China where it received its botanical name "Citrus sinensis". During the first century the orange spread to Japan, India and the Near East. The Romans were also interested in this fruit, and the Arabs introduced the orange to Spain. Orange cultivation ended in Europe with the fall of the Roman empire and reappeared later in Italy in the 15th century.

Columbus brought seeds of orange, lemon and lime on his voyages to the New World. The Caribbean climate proved ideal for these citrus fruits. During the early 16th century settlers first planted oranges in Florida, which was to become the state's flourishing citrus industry. And in the early 1700s, missionaries planted oranges in California, which now rivals Florida in citrus production.

The Blood orange is slightly less acidic than ordinary oranges and grown mostly in Mediterranean countries, especially Italy. There are several kinds of blood orange with the most popular being the round Moro and the elongated Tarocco. The original Blood orange was produced during the 17th century in Sicily when a red pigment, not usually present in citrus fruits but common to other red fruits, was introduced to the orange. The result was bright red fruit under the orange peel.

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