Dried orange peels have a sharp citrus bite. Made entirely from the peel of the fruit, they tend toward bitterness, and as such these dried pieces aren't meant for ready-made snacking. They are instead reconstituted in sauces, jams, stews and soups where they infuse these foods with a nuance of citrus. Dried orange peels can also be ground into powder and added to smoothies, or used in baking where they impart an orange-y citrus zing.
Despite its ubiquity in many western cultures, there is no one universal formula for a "mulled spice mix."
QUICK INFO
orange peel
, chopped
PLANT PART
fruit / peel
PROCESSING / FORM
chopped
BOTANICAL NAME
Citrus sinensis
ORIGIN
Egypt
BOTANICAL NAME
Citrus sinensis
AKA
sweet orange common orange China orange
Fresh From Origin
Orange, a common fruit these days, has a long and questionable history. Many countries claim to be its birthplace, including China, India, Burma, and Malaysia. During the Middle Ages, the fruit traveled from Asia to Europe, then along with the conquistadors to the lands of the New World. In its new home, the orange plant became fruitful (so to speak) and multiplied. Today, the Americas are the largest orange producers in the world, with most production clustered around the areas of Sao Paulo in Brazil and Florida in the United States.
The smooth round berries of dried allspice are warm and pungent in aroma. As its name suggests allspice is redolent of a mix of spices including clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and juniper.
Guajillo chiles are more fruity in taste than most other chiles; they have a mild to medium heat and complex layered flavor. In Mexican cooking they are second only to the ancho.
