The miniature oranges produced by a miniature orange tree, despite their resemblance to their larger counterparts, do not taste exactly like the real thing. They are at once very bitter and very tart. They are good enough to eat by themselves, but that is something of an acquired taste. The best way to enjoy the miniature oranges produced by a miniature orange tree is to use these great (and quite adorable and aromatic) fruits as a flavoring, rather than as a main course.
Two of the most popular uses for miniature oranges in cooking include making marmalade and using them to flavor chicken and fish. Both of these uses require only a small number of these miniature oranges, usually just one for each piece of chicken or fish and only about five or six for an entire standard-sized jar of marmalade. You will want to experiment with the flavor before adding a full dose of miniature orange to any dish because some of the oranges are much stronger than others, even if they were picked around the same time.
Because they have a very pungent aroma, miniature oranges do a great job of masking any unpleasant smells, thus they can be used to offset the intense flavor of some fish. It is the very smell of these miniature oranges that also make them excellent for use in tea. One of the best teas to use miniature oranges is plain old black tea. For some reason, the aroma and bite of the miniature oranges really brings out the earthy flavor of the tea and wakes it up.
Miniature oranges can be rather difficult to find and your best bet is to purchase a miniature orange tree from your local greenhouse or online. They are lovely trees and will offer instant ingredients for cooking year-round.
