Sweet orange zest

Native to to the Mediterranean bassin and tropical regions, the fruit of the Citrus sinensis is called 'sweet orange' in order to make the distinction from the 'bitter orange' (Citrus aurantium). The birthplace of this orange tree is found between the Himalaya and Southern China. Around the year 1400, Portugese have imported it. Since then, the culture has spread considerably overdifferent countries. The sweet orange tree, a small tree belonging to the Rutacees family, is an old hybrid, stemming probably from a crossbreeding of the Citrus maxima and Citrus reticulata.