Food Satsumi and Clementines have sworn fans, but not everyone even recognizes the difference – Expert gives a tip to help you find the perfect citrus fruit shelf

Small, round and Orange peeling delicacies are back in season, but the names of these little citrus are easily confused.

HS found out the difference between mandarin, satsuma and clementine, and how to identify a juicy citrus fruit on a store shelf.

Sometimes in everyday language, all citrus fruits are called mandarins.

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Some people avoid mandarins because of their seeds.

Mandarin included of the citrus family and originated in China, but today it is cultivated around the world. The best known mandarin varieties are Orri, Nadorcott and Minneola.

Some people avoid mandarins because of their seeds.

Tangerines are still sold in large quantities, says the K-Group’s grocery purchasing and sales manager for the grocery business Nanette Karttunen.

“The Orri variety, for example, which contains few seeds but is very aromatic, sweet and upright mandarin, is popular. It is easiest to peel by making incisions in the surface of the mandarin. ”

Mandarin has more than 300 sub-varieties.

in Finland varieties grown from mandarin clementine and satsuma are very popular.

Satsumas are seedless intermediates between mandarin and clementine. Their bark is thin and at the beginning of the high season the yellow-orange bark sometimes has green spots.

However, nothing can be deduced from the color of Satsuma from the ripeness of the fruit. The color of the fruit depends on the weather conditions during the growing season. The shell turns yellow due to cold nights and warm days.

Satsuma’s high season begins in Europe as early as autumn with the Iwasaki variety. The first fruits ripen as early as September and the season continues with the Okitsu and Owari varieties from October to November.

The bitterness of the satsumas decreases sharply as the season progresses and the taste changes from early bitterness to soft sweetness.

European Clementine has a long season: it starts in October with the Marisol variety and later with the Arrufatina variety.

As the season progresses, the taste of the fruit deepens. The best clementine season is now being lived, as it lasts from the beginning of November to the beginning of January.

In many families in Finland, clementines belong essentially to the Christmas table.

“Satsumas and clementines smell different: clementines smell Christmas, more aromatic than even satsumas,” says Karttunen.

Karttunen believes that the Christmas season is the reason why clementines are so popular in Finland.

Clementines are a cross between mandarin and pomeranian and are even easier to peel than satsumas. Clementines are also almost always seedless.

The country of origin and varieties of the fruit vary, but most citrus fruits are imported from Spain. Satsumaa, clementine and mandarins are also sold during the summer. In this case, the fruit comes from the southern hemisphere, for example, from South Africa.

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If the fruit feels soft, the way your finger would go through, it’s not a good choice.

Different there are many varieties of small citrus and their quality varies.

So how do you identify good-tasting little citrus on the shelves of fruit and vegetables?

Karttunen recommends choosing small-feeling little citrus from the store. If the fruit feels soft, the way your finger would go through, it’s not a good choice.

In general, the heavier citrus fruit is always juicier.

“So it’s worth choosing solid, heavier individuals. However, the weight of the fruit is easier to detect in oranges than in small citrus fruits. ”

Karttunen knows that small citrus varieties are sometimes strongly divided into two camps: satsumafans and clementine fans. Others do not notice the differences in the little citrus.

“I personally like spring mandarins the most, which have a lot of taste and aroma.”

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