Orange slices (candied)

The orange originally comes from China, which is also what its Dutch name refers to ("china-appel", as well as "appelsien": appel-china)[source?], and in the past it mainly served as decoration. In Belgium and the Netherlands, oranges are often imported from Spain.

The orange is the fruit of the orange tree (Citrus sinensis), which belongs to the genus Citrus. The species is also called the sweet orange, to distinguish it from the sour or bitter orange (Citrus aurantium). In colder climates the tree used to be kept in a wintering room, which is where the name orangery comes from.