Satsuma Mandarins Are Here

Satsuma MandarinsSatsuma Mandarins have hit peak season, and they taste just like December!

With a perfect balance of sweet and tart and a great acid edge, satsuma mandarins have a melt in your mouth texture. Their skins peel readily, and segments are easy-to-separate. Plus they contain an abundance of juice with less pulp—which makes them perfect in drinks and recipes.

Botanically speaking, the fruit of mandarins and of all citrus species, is a special berry known as an hesperidium. (And we are just getting used to the idea that olives and artichokes are fruit.) Satsumas are a type of mandarin—a name that comes from having been cultivated in China. The name Satsuma refers to a former province in Japan from where the first plants were brought to the United States.

When shopping for satsumas, look for fruit with firm, tight peels, and no hollow-feeling or dented spots. And, heavier feeling satsumas can be juicier. So, when the fruit has bright green twigs and leaves still attached, it means they have been carefully picked and handled.

Check out these great ideas to help incorporate Satsumas into you cooking.

Caramelized Tangerine Vinaigrette
Add this to your rotation of salad dressings. The pale sweetness of the tangerine is enriched by the caramelization, giving the dressing both body and depth.

Wild Rice, Farro, and Tangerine Salad
This recipe make a restive holiday side dish.

Tangerine and Almond Shortbread Tart
Reminiscent of of a big, chewy, fragrant Florentine cookie that has been tucked into a rich, buttery crust. Holiday party?

Tangerine Butter Cookies
These butter cookies are rich in citrus flavor, with a hint of olive oil. A good one to work into your holiday baking plans.

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