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 came up with a drink that would reduce the acidity of orange juice just by adding milk, egg whites, and a little sweetener, and then churning it. Thus, the Orange Julius drink was born, which was an instant hit, turning Mr. Freed’s boring juice stand into a bonanza. (One can only hope that the customer 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 orchard to be planted on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. (When those French kings liked something, they didn’t waste their time).

Spanish explorers likely brought oranges to the Americas and Mexico sometime in the 16th century, traveling as far as Florida and southern California during the following 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 the favorite passengers on ships, providing vitamin C and fruit for the crews. Loved around the world, both the popular Valencia and navel oranges are affordable, have a long shelf life, and provide nutrition for people of all ages, and their juice remains the number one breakfast preference. Real trees and fruits have been mutated and grafted over centuries to achieve the desirable fruit we know today. In the US, 60% of the orange harvest 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.

Meanwhile, in Spain and Italy, blood oranges, named for the red color of their flesh, were common since the 15th century, but were latecomers to the US market and achieved some popularity in recent decades.

During his travels to France, President of Foodies Thomas Jefferson became familiar with the orange and must have had the fruit shipped 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 fake orange trees for his fragrant flowers.

With the invention of refrigerated shipping and railroads, 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, refreshing orange sherbet 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;

Blueberry Orange Bread – your basic orange bread with added blueberries, also muffins;

Orange-flavored candies: gelatin, hard jelly beans, the most popular flavor for many candies, including chocolate-covered orange peel; (remember Chuckles? Which flavor did you reach for first?)

Orange Soda Pop: Orange Crush, the first carbonated orange soda, launched in 1911, followed by Fanta Orange, originated in Germany as a substitute for cola 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 peel of the fruit; the British and Scots have been eating jam since the 18th century;

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

Orange Chicken: Popular Hunan Chinese chicken dish with chicken pieces breaded, fried and covered in a sweet orange sauce;

Duck a l’Orange: Those French chefs don’t miss 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, they take their place among the top five favorite American fruits and are no longer just for breakfast. That guy Julio. It must have started something.