The flower of the bitter orange tree has long been used in perfumes and cooking. Usually made as a distillate from the petals themselves, it is used in desserts in the Middle East and South Asia and is found in savory applications as well, providing complex floral and fruity aromas to many preparations.
In the United States, orange blossom water is increasingly being used in cocktails, as well as in other beverages such as lemonade and tea. Orange blossom-infused honey is also growing in popularity and can be incorporated in a range of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks as well as in pastries and other desserts.
Market research firm Datassential reports that orange blossom is found on 2% of menus, up 31% over the past four years.
Click through the gallery or watch the video to learn more about the Flavor of the Week and see how one restaurant is using orange blossom on its menu.