This image is the cover for the book Florida Oranges, American Palate

Florida Oranges, American Palate

A vibrant history of Florida’s horticultural heritage and the colorful personalities who made the state synonymous with citrus.

In the 16th century, Ponce de León planted the first orange groves in St. Augustine, Florida. They were the precursor to what would become an integral part of Florida’s identity. Orange groves slowly spread across the state, inspiring agricultural innovations and manufacturing ingenuity. Now Florida food writer Erin Thursby reveals the surprisingly colorful history of Florida’s most famous crop.

Discover the story behind Deland’s eccentric “citrus wizard” Lue Gim Gong; the rise and fall of smuggler Jesse Fish; and the silver-tongued politician William J. Howey, who made his fortune selling plots of groveland through the 1920s. Celebrate the heyday of orange tourism and the farmers who weathered freezes, floods and citrus greening. From the old roots of orange cultivation in Northeast Florida to the new center of oranges in the Southwest, Thursby offers a unique historical tour of the Sunshine State.

Erin Thursby

Erin Thursby is a founding member and executive director of GastroJax, a nonprofit promoting North Florida food, beverage and food education and which holds the food fest GastroFest in Jacksonville, Florida. She’s also a regular freelance writer for local publications in Jacksonville, including Edible Northeast Florida, and is food editor for EU Jacksonville. She’s lived in Florida all her life and is a graduate of University of South Florida.

The History Press