Adaptable orange has a variety of uses

Oranges are a highly versatile citrus — kind of like the nose-to-tail equivalent for fruit.

Start with one orange, and you can use the peel for its zest or as a cocktail garnish and the flesh for its juice or segments — or a combination of some or all of these.

But how best to take advantage of such a multi-tasker?

Right this way: A Microplane zester is said to be the easiest and best gadget for zesting citrus.

finished, just scrape the pile out of the channel of the Microplane.

a few times to make sure I’ve worked it from all angles.

A closed set of tongs can function as a suitable juicer when the scalloped end is inserted in the cut half of the fruit. Twist the tongs or the fruit. In a pinch, even a fork can work. Be sure to use a big enough bowl underneath to catch all the juice.

To segment an orange, slice off the bottom and top of the fruit. Stand the orange on a cutting board with a cut side down. Use a serrated or paring knife to cut the peel and the pith away from the fruit in strips, top to bottom.

Then, holding the fruit in one hand, cut the segments away from the membrane. (The idea is to leave behind all the membrane and white pith.) If more juice is needed, squeeze it from the membrane.

Need a cool-looking drink garnish? Make a twist.

First, cut off a wide piece of peel using a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Then cut a strip at the width of your choice — I’ve found that about inch works nicely.

Next, put your stash of takeout chopsticks to good use by wrapping the strip of peel around one of them. (A round pen or pencil will also do the trick.) Pull the strip tightly and hold it in place for a few seconds to form its shape. Slide the twist off, and add it to a favorite quaff.