Blood orange

This hybrid fruit first appeared in the Mediterranean region in the mid-1800s. Today, one-third of all oranges consumed in that area of Europe, especially in Spain, Italy, and the North African countries, are blood oranges. The name blood, of course, describes one of the fruit’s distinctive qualities, its red interior, which can vary from just a hint of color to a deep blood-red. Generally speaking, the color of the flesh is more consistently deep red in the hotter growing regions. Do not judge the color of the flesh by the color of the rind, as the two do not have anything to do with each other. Surprisingly, the rind shows a more dramatic effect on fruits grown on the northern part of the citrus tree, where they are somewhat protected from the southern exposure of the sun.