Grower
Seasons/Availability
Arriving just in time for the holidays and very popular at Christmas, the peak season for Satsuma Tangerines is October through December.
Current Facts
The word "tangerine" is used much too casually to refer to what is actually a mandarin. Tangerines have no botanical standing. Today the term tangerine most often refers to any brightly colored mandarin.
Description/Taste
The easy-to-peel orange to deep red Satsuma tangerine, pronounced sat-SOO-ma, has a characteristic loose and often bumpy skin. Its delectable sweet pulp is sometimes slightly tart and is almost always seedless. A variety of the mandarin, the exotic Satsuma is quite aromatic and less acidic than other mandarins.
Nutritional Value
High in vitamin C, just two fruits provide the necessary requirement of the RDA. Containing vitamin A, they offer more than the orange and two fruits provide nearly a third of the RDA of this nutrient. Tangerines are a good source of fiber. Great for weight watchers, one typical fruit has fewer than 40 calories. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
When a dish calls for sliced fruit, tangerine sections add their very own special sweetness. Caramelize sections for a yummy dessert. Flavorings that enhance include cinnamon, orange liqueurs, mint, sherry vinegar, almonds and chocolate. For tangerine pudding, mix together two tablespoons cornstarch, three tablespoons sugar and one-eight teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in two cups milk. Place over moderate heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil; boil one minute. Remove from heat; stir in one-teaspoon fresh tangerine peel. Cool, stirring occasionally. Fold in one and one-half cups tangerine sections. Chill. To store, keep tangerines at room temperature. Refrigerate for longer storage.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Tangerines continue to be especially popular in Oriental cuisine. The range of ethnic cultures in which citrus fruits have flourished perhaps have enjoyed soups and appetizers the most of any other category. Becoming a major part of the regional cuisine from Asia and the Middle East through sunny Mediterranean groves on their hillsides, to our neighbor, Mexico, citrus is a key ingredient in many dishes and desserts. Every culture had its own beliefs concerning citrus. Some believed that eating citrus before a meal made a person resistant to all poisons. Others believed citrus fruits were cures for colic, fever and dehydration. Compounds made with citrus were taken as laxatives and to reduce enlarged spleens. Citrus seeds were thought to be an antidote to scorpion bites, and were used as a lamp oil as well. Caribbean citrus groves virtually became medical stations for sailors when citrus was discovered to relieve the symptoms of scurvy.
Geography/History
Native to Japan since the sixteenth century, tangerines belong to the mandarin orange family that has flourished in the Orient for centuries. The tangerine is named for Tangiers, the North African port from which this citrus was originally shipped to Florida. Grown in California and Florida, some supplies are imported from Mexico. "Satsuma" is not a single citrus variety but a group of mandarin varieties from the species Citrus unshiu. With roots over 2000 years deep, citrus was at one time prized and rare and considered mysterious and a symbol of status, power and wealth. It is thought that all citrus may have originated in India and the Orient. History of the tangerine, lemon and grapefruit is limited unlike the age-old orange. Early ripening and hardiness makes this tangerine a popular crop for colder climates such as the California foothills, the Gulf coast, Texas and northern Florida. The Satsuma tree has survived twelve degree Fahrenheit temperatures. Locally grown California Satsuma's are the most abundant during the winter months.
