Mandarin Oranges

I was happy to have yet another naming issue cleared up, thanks to an article I just read called "Mad about mandarins"*, referring to the citrus fruit. It turns out that Clementines — which I had neither seen nor heard of until just a couple of years ago — are, indeed, tangerines or — more properly, according to this article — mandarins:

Although they're a relatively new addition to the California scene, mandarins (Citrus reticulata) are hardly newcomers to the world of citrus. In fact, they are among the three original families, along with pummelos and citrons. Every other kind of citrus fruit — oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and all the rest — are hybrids resulting from cross-breeding among these three groups.

"Clementine" is just one variety name under which they're sold; "Satsumas" and "Pixies" are others, but I've yet to see either. As the article points out, "Mandarin" is pretty much restricted now to the little segments sold in small cans, of which I've always been rather fond. I've also long wondered whether they were related to tangerines, about which we also learned:

The popular name tangerine is a commercial invention that was attached in the mid-19th century because the first mandarins imported into the U.S. were shipped from the Moroccan seaport of Tangiers. So unfamiliar were these fruits that they were sometimes sold under the name "mandarin orange," a usage that today continues mainly in the canned version.

The article lists these variety names, which we expect to see more of in our supermarkets as their popularity spreads:

Dancy
One of the oldest commercial varieties (dating to the 1860s) and the traditional California mandarin; this is the taste most people associate with tangerines. They can be quite seedy. Midseason.

Fairchild
One of the earliest-ripening mandarins, particularly when it is grown in the desert. Rich, sweet flavor, though difficult to peel and seedy. Early season.

Gold Nugget
Very similar to Pixies, Gold Nuggets are small fruit that are easy to peel and very sweet. Seedless. Late season.

Kishu
With tiny, gem-like fruit no bigger than a walnut, the Kishu is like a little piece of tangerine candy. Easy to peel and seedless. Midseason.

Lee
An incredibly sweet mandarin with a complex flavor and a high note almost like orange flower water. A bit difficult to peel, with seeds. Midseason.

W. Murcott Afourer
One of the prettiest mandarins, the Murcott has a peel that looks almost polished. The biggest grower in California sells them under the trademarked name Delite. Not to be confused with Murcott, which is the Honey tangerine of Florida. Seedless in isolation. Mid to late season.

Page
Along with the Lee, perhaps the best tasting of the mandarins. It is very sweet and has an extremely intense flavor that is almost winy. Seedless in isolation. Midseason.

Pixie
Small and sweet, with good flavor and little acidity. Seedless. Late season.

Satsuma
Satsumas can be dark or light orange in color, depending on the specific variety. The flavor can be mild, but tradition has it that trees at least 10 years old bear the best fruit. Seedless. Early season.

Maybe this was already on my mind because I bought a bag of "Tangerines" a couple of weeks ago, and they tasted like Tangerines, i.e., they actually had some flavor and the flavor was not just a weak, orange-like flavor but a full-bodied, mandarin-like flavor. They were quite good, although not quite so good as the nectarines that I bought at the same time — they were remarkably tasty, a peak flavor experience the likes of which one gets only every several years.#
—–
* Russ Parson, "Mad about Mandarins", Baltimore Sun, c. 2 February 2006.
# It's been my empirical hypothesis that I eat a really, really good cantaloupe only once every three years or so.

Posted on February 2, 2006 at 13.32 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Naming Things

2 Responses

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  1. Written by Mary Knowlton
    on Tuesday, 22 January 2008 at 13.13
    Permalink

    I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED – WHAT IS THE PROPER PRONUNCIATION OF 'AFOURER'

  2. Written by jns
    on Tuesday, 22 January 2008 at 15.20
    Permalink

    The name looks decidedly French, so it would be something like "Ah'-Foo-Ray".

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