M
Peel The Love
andarins are a class of
Clementines (often marketed in the U.S. as
makes it an especially popular snack when
citrus that includes a large
“Cuties” or “Sweeties”) are very small seedless
harvested in the fall. Their skin is loosely
group of loose-skinned,
oranges that are like tangerines in their honey-
attached to the fruit making them extremely
deeply colored, and highly
like sweet flavor. Their compact size makes
easy to peel. Clementines and satsumas are
flavorful fruits. It covers mandarin oranges,
them best eaten out of hand, but they are
often marketed and sold interchangeably, but
satsumas, tangerines, and tangerine hybrids.
delicious in salads and when used in desserts.
you can spot the difference easily because
The terms mandarin and tangerine are used
The tight, shiny orange skins also make them
clementines have tight peels and satsumas
interchangeably for many of these fruits,
beautiful for display and creating casual,
have loose peels.
depending upon where they are grown.
edible centerpieces.
Satsumas grow extremely well in Georgia. The
Tangelos are the product of super-sweet
tree has fruit that ripen early, will withstand
Mandarin oranges are a small and sweet
tangerines that have been crossbred with
colder temperatures, thus requiring less cold
tangerine variety. They do have some seeds,
either pomelos or grapefruit. The result is a
protection, and produce more consistent
which makes them a bit less desirable for
sweet, easy-to-peel treat that has the color
crops over a longer period of time. Tangerines,
snacking than seedless clementines. It is also
of a tangerine, but a more mild sweetness.
especially Clementines, also have great success
a popular canned fruit, sold packed in juice.
You can tell a tangelo from an orange by the
here. Unlike other types of citrus, cross-
Slices are often used in salads.
pollination is required for optimum fruiting of a number of tangerine varieties and hybrids.
top that gives the The satsuma is a tangerine
fruit its nickname,
that is considered
“honeybell.”
Tangerines are smaller than oranges with
a variety of small
bright orange skins and slightly looser peels.
mandarin oranges. It
They are great for eating raw and adding to
originally hails from
salads. You can also juice tangerines for a
Japan, where its status
slightly sweeter and brighter take on classic
as one of the sweetest
orange juice, making it a nice option for
(and conveniently
cocktails too.
seedless) citrus fruits
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ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING
telltale “knob” at the
