How to choose the right quality delicious tangerines? Secrets of different producing countries: tangerines from Turkey, Morocco, Abkhazia and Spain.
New Year is inextricably linked with the smell of tangerines. December is the time to harvest this citrus. The question remains - how to choose good, sweet tangerines? It is also desirable that they are seedless and easy to clean.
How to choose the right tangerines
The main indicator of the quality of a tangerine is the skin. It must be clean, without traces of rotting, hail damage and mold.
When choosing tangerines, you must hold them in your hands and examine each fruit. If this is not possible, then you should not buy citrus from this seller.
Unripe tangerines are always sour. The peel does not come off well. It is dense, almost hard. The fact is that when the fruit is fully ripe, its skin becomes airy and porous. The lower white layer almost doubles in size. This makes it easy to peel the tangerine. In unripe citrus, the peel fits tightly to the pulp. And undeveloped slices are only gaining juice.
In many types of mandarin, the skin becomes wrinkled when ripe, and the fruit becomes soft. But this should not be confused with the softness of the rotten.
Varieties of tangerines and producing countries
It's no secret that tangerines are a southern fruit. And what further south country manufacturer, the sweeter the tangerine will be. But not everyone can distinguish the country of origin by eye.
1. Turkish
They have the palest and thinnest skin. The peel of these tangerines is smooth, almost glossy, and is difficult to separate. Citrus fruits from Turkey are often stuffed with seeds.
2. Moroccan
Fruits from Morocco are small and bright, like birds of paradise. Usually seedless and fairly easy to clean. Not as sweet as Spanish ones, but still better than Turkish ones. The skin is dense and smooth, shiny. Often these tangerines are labeled with stickers indicating the country of origin. Everyone knows these dark diamonds.
3. Abkhazian
These tangerines are not particularly beautiful. The skin is yellowish in color and does not have a bright shine. Often there are grayish marks on the skin - healed wounds. But such tangerines are called “horrible on the face, tasty on the inside.” The peel of the Abkhazian mandarin in a ripe state practically comes away from the pulp and is held on only by the “butts”. When pressed, the peel goes inward. It becomes clear that there is a hollow space between the slices and the skin.
4. Spanish
Tangerines from Spain are the most delicious. Bright, smooth, the skin is thin and comes off easily when ripe. This tangerine has practically no seeds. But even their rare appearance does not spoil the impression of this fruit, they are so tasty. That's why Spanish tangerines are the most expensive. They are very rare in markets.
5. Tangerine hybrids are also sold
Clementine is a mixture of mandarin and crown orange. A very sweet taste distinguishes clementine from an ordinary tangerine. Favorite in Lately hybrids of tangerine and grapefruit. Mineola and tangelo are very sweet and have either a pear or round shape and save everything beneficial features tangerines and grapefruit. From the latter they borrowed the red barrel.
Which New Year Can you do without New Year's citrus? Follow him in last days There are still huge queues lining up. We tried to tell you in detail how to choose the right tangerines, so that later the holiday would not be overshadowed by sour fruit.
Tangerines have been grown in India for thousands of years. IN Ancient China appreciated the beneficial properties and adopted the experience of growing this amazing plant. And today China is the world's main exporter of these fruits.
Many varieties of tangerines migrated from their homeland - Indochina - to Japan and Korea, gained popularity on the Mediterranean coast, in the southern states of North America and Latin America, Israel, Turkey, Abkhazia and other countries. The Sochi region of the Black Sea coast is considered a favorable region for cultivation in our country.
Types of tangerines and where they grow
- the same fruit that for a long time was not subject to any classification. In the middle of the last century, the Soviet scientist-breeder V.P. Alekseev defined seven main groups, highlighting the following types of tangerines:
- Satsuma or “Unshiu” is a species that grows beautifully in Georgia, Abkhazia, the Krasnodar Territory and the Crimean Peninsula in the Russian Federation. The plant is resistant to temperate climates and is capable of producing fully ripened fruits even with insufficient sunlight. Unshiu is often grown at home as a indoor plant, which bears fruit just as actively as on open ground. This is facilitated by the tree’s short growth, which will not exceed 1.5 meters in limited space. In open ground, the tree reaches a height of 3 meters, which is also not much in comparison with other varieties. The plant bears its first fruits at the age of 3 years. Abundant and fragrant flowering occurs in May. Unshiu fruits are flattened in shape and covered with a thin, light orange peel with a slight hint of green that is easy to peel to reveal the delicate and sweet citrus pulp. Average weight one fruit is approximately 70 g. The species is distinguished by the fact that the fruits do not contain seeds. Reproduction occurs by grafting to other trees, which is why varieties such as Pioneer 80 and Sochinsky 23 with excellent cold resistance and productivity have appeared.
- Austere is a citrus fruit of Chinese origin. Perhaps this is one of the sweetest types of citrus, distinctive feature which can be called bright orange with a hint of red color of the peel.
- A well-known representative of this species is the tangerine variety, which grows in the USA, as well as in Italy and on the island of Sicily. Unlike Unshiu, tangerines are covered with a thicker skin, but also do not contain seeds. The harvest of ripe and tasty tangerines is harvested between October and April. The peel is easy to peel, and the fruit pulp is divided into juicy slices.
- Deliciosa is a species belonging to the Sino-Mediterranean group of citrus fruits. The most popular variety is the willow tangerine - a tree with a compact crown of narrow and long leaves. Flattened fruits orange color medium size 6-7 cm in diameter, sweet and sour taste.
- Reticulata is a species widely grown in China and India. The Ponkan variety, a large “golden-fruited” tangerine, with an original pear-shaped shape with a “navel,” is exported industrially. The fruits are easily peeled from the medium-thick peel, under which a juicy, tender, sweet-sour-tasting pulp is hidden. With bones. The harvest is harvested from December to the end of January; fortunately, the climate of the countries where the Ponkan variety is grown allows this. In addition to India and China, this citrus grows in Latin and South America, Taiwan and the Philippines.
- The species of royal mandarins Nobilis ("Noble") - historically belongs to the Indochinese and Malay groups. The fruits are one of the largest with the inherent characteristic feature- a lumpy and thick peel, under which lies a juicy and sweet pulp with an excellent aroma and aftertaste. Recognized all over the world the best varieties The “royal” species are considered: King (Siamese king), Tsao-tse, Uvatin-mikan.
- The small-fruited species is suitable for growing at home - Chinese-Japanese varietal group. Favorite varieties are the sweet Mukaku-kishiu and Kishiu, and the sour Shiva-mikan, which feel great indoors, bringing a tropical touch to the interior, actively blooming and bearing fruit.
- Hybrid species are varieties developed during breeding experiments on various citrus plants. Thus, it was possible to obtain fruits of bright colors, with unique taste, of various sizes and shapes:
- Calamondin – mandarin + fortunella;
- Rangpur – mandarin orange + ;
- – mandarin + orange-crown; (Corsican, Montreal and Spanish);
- Tangelo – tangerine + (or );
- Thornton is a variety of tangelo;
- – American variety Dancy + Duncan grapefruit;
- Tangor – tangerine + sweet orange;
- Mandora – mandarin orange + sweet orange;
- Ellendale – mandarin + tangerine + ;
- Citrandarine – mandarin + poncirus;
- Santina – clementine + orlando;
- Agli (“freak” in English) – tangerine + orange + grapefruit;
- Ichandarin – mandarin + Ichang papeda;
- Orangequat – unshiu mandarin + ;
- Orange – mandarin orange + pomelo;
- Meyer lemon – + tangerine (or orange);
- Kabosu – papeda + orange.
As a result of experiments in modern citrus breeding, a unique Baby variety appeared, as the name implies - these are mini tangerines, China. The fruits are so small that they literally melt in your mouth. The light skin of the Baby variety indicates its origin from the Chinese satsuma, the dark orange - from tangerine. Baby tangerines are extremely sweet and fragrant. The only drawback is that you have to clean them too often, since one thing is enough for “one tooth.”
When do tangerines ripen?
The ripeness of fruits is directly related to where they come from. The harvest is harvested from late October to February, depending on the area, growing conditions and characteristics of the variety.
China has long been recognized as a leader in the cultivation of citrus fruits, exporting to the world market 10 times more than, for example, the second country in terms of production of “orange” fruits – Spain. Due to the favorable climate, citrus trees They bear fruit from early November to late January. While in Abkhazia and Sochi they have time to ripen only in December.
In general, the picture is such that the industrial volume of tangerine harvest occurs in December. Therefore, the fruit is traditionally considered New Year's, as all manufacturers try to sell most harvest before the New Year holidays.
How to choose Abkhazian tangerines
Abkhazian tangerines, with a taste familiar to all immigrants from the USSR from childhood, are a traditional delicious decoration for every New Year's table in our country and not only for many decades in a row. Cold-resistant varieties were specially obtained from Japanese satsumas for cultivation in special conditions. climatic zone- in Abkhazia, are used to this day.
Due to the abundance of fruits on the market different varieties from many countries, many people have a question: how to distinguish Abkhazian tangerines, for example, from Chinese ones? The first difference is the medium-early ripening of the fruits. At the end of November, the “orange” plantations in Abkhazia are covered with small “suns”, and the harvest ripens by mid-December. The second difference is the matte peel. No gloss. The third difference is the subtle and pleasant aroma from the crust, which you feel when holding the fruit in your hands, the invigorating taste of the juicy pulp with a caramel aftertaste and sourness in the aftertaste. Depending on the variety, the Abkhazian harvest is predominantly seedless, although fruits with them are also found.
Moroccan tangerines
Tangerines from Morocco are one of the most sought after and available in winter fruits in Russia. Bright orange “balls” with a traditional sticker in the form of a black diamond can be found in every point of sale. The peel is easy to peel, and the flesh is juicy and sweet, with a small number of seeds.
How to choose Spanish tangerines
Spanish tangerines are medium-sized, bright orange fruits. Most often, branches with ripe fruits or single fruits with leaves are found on the shelves. The skin is large-porous, easy to peel, and the flesh is sweet. There are seeds in almost every slice, but there are seedless hybrid varieties.
Chinese tangerines
Considering the fact that China is the main exporter of the “orange” fruit in the world, the majority of batches of this product on our shelves were brought from there. Chinese tangerines are passed off as Abkhazian, since some varieties have identical thin matte skin that is easy to peel, and the pulp, although sweet in taste, has no characteristic aroma. Greenish tangerines from China are laid out on store shelves with leaves or on twigs. It is a mistake to assume that they last longer this way. Ripe citrus fruits are a perishable product.
Turkish tangerines
They differ from their “brothers” in their low price, lack of seeds and slightly sour taste. They are characterized by a yellowish tint to the peel, which is easy to peel. Many people love them for their lack of seeds.
How to choose delicious tangerines
Sometimes it seems that buying fruit is a lottery: if it turns out to be sweet - lucky, sour - well, it doesn’t happen to anyone... To choose really ripe and sweet tangerines, you need to answer the question: which tangerines are the most delicious? It is enough to have a general idea of the varieties and importing countries so as not to make a mistake with the choice:
- Large and flattened fruits usually have a sour taste;
- Medium-sized citruses with bright orange or yellowish peel are sweet;
- It is believed that tasty fruits weigh heavier than sour ones. In addition, light-weight citrus fruits have insufficient liquid, a lot of seeds and hard fiber.
Tasty means ripe. When choosing an orange fruit in a store, you should pay attention to:
- The skin should be smooth without dents or dark spots. Too loose or, conversely, dry peel indicates a low quality product;
- No mold, otherwise such a product will not only not taste good, but will also be harmful to health.
How to choose sweet and seedless tangerines
When we talk about seedless tangerines, of course, we're talking about about the Pixie variety. These are bright orange fruits with a large-porous peel that is easy to peel. No other variety can boast such a delicate honey-sweet pulp with a pleasant caramel aftertaste. Another advantage of the Pixie variety is the absence of seeds. The fruits ripen at the end of winter and remain on the trees for six months.
But, as a rule, information about varieties is not indicated on fruit counters in stores and markets. Therefore, we are guided by knowledge about importing countries. If you really want to buy seedless fruits, then be sure to choose a harvest from Abkhazia, Turkey, although there is a high probability that they will turn out to be sour, or from Israel - beautiful, with a shiny crust, but not juicy, even dry-tasting fruits.
Elegant, tasty and very aromatic tangerine fruits are an indispensable attribute of the Russian New Year's feast. It is one of the most common citrus fruits, widely grown in countries with subtropical climates. Miniature tangerine trees are also popular as decorative indoor plants.
What types of tangerines are there and where do they grow?
Mandarin is an evergreen tree from the citrus group, which is part of the rue family. It usually grows as a tree 2–4 meters high in open ground or 1–1.5 meters in a potted indoor culture, sometimes it takes on a bush-like form.
Tangerine trees are grown in subtropical countries as an important fruit crop
Mandarin comes from South-East Asia, where it was domesticated several thousand years ago and is now no longer found in the wild. Nowadays, tangerine plantations are common in all countries of the subtropical zone.
Tangerine trees bloom early in the spring, and the fruits ripen only in winter
Tangerines ripen very slowly; 8–10 months pass from flowering to fruit ripening. On industrial plantations, the yield reaches 30–50 kilograms of fruit per tree. In subtropical climates, tangerine trees bloom in the spring from February to April, and the harvest ripens in November - December. In the tropics, repeated flowering is possible throughout the year.
Mandarin flowers can set fruit without pollination
Mandarin flowers easily form seedless parthenocarpic fruits without pollination, especially in varieties of the unshiu group, so a single tree can bear fruit.
Mandarin trees can withstand short-term frosts down to -8°C
Of all citrus crops, tangerine is the most frost-resistant. The most cold-resistant varieties of tangerines can withstand short-term frosts down to -8°C.
The Black Sea coast of the Caucasus is the world's northernmost region of industrial mandarin culture.
Varieties of tangerines
There are many varieties and varieties of tangerines, among which the most famous are Moroccan tangerines (tangerines) and Japanese unshiu tangerines.
Tangerines - Moroccan tangerines
Mandarins of this type first appeared in Morocco. They are characterized by a round shape, a very bright red-orange color and a sweet taste with almost no acid. Tangerines are widely grown in China, the USA, Southern Europe and North Africa.
Mediterranean tangerines originate from Moroccan varieties
Japanese mandarin unshiu
For traditional Japanese varieties Unshiu group tangerines are characterized by a flattened shape, a small number of seeds or their absence, a light yellow-orange color, a sweet and sour taste and increased cold resistance. Varieties of this type are widely grown in Japan and Transcaucasia.
The majority belong to the unshiu variety indoor varieties tangerine and all Russian, Abkhaz and Georgian industrial varieties.
Unshiu mandarin is grown in Japan and Transcaucasia
In Russian supermarkets in winter, the fruits of both Moroccan and Abkhaz tangerines are presented in abundance, which are easy to distinguish even by appearance on the counter.
What is the difference between Moroccan and Abkhaz tangerines - table
How tangerines grow in Georgia, Abkhazia and Russia
In the Black Sea subtropics of Georgia, Abkhazia and the Krasnodar region of Russia in the vicinity of Sochi and Adler, mandarin is an important commercial crop. Tangerine plantations in open ground occupy large areas here. The trees bloom in March - April, and the tangerine harvest ripens in November - December.
On the Black Sea coast, the tangerine harvest ripens in November - December
In this region, mainly locally selected varieties are now grown, created in Soviet time based on unshiu tangerines imported from Japan.
How tangerines are collected in Abkhazia - video
Opportunities for growing tangerines in Crimea
Attempts to acclimatize the tangerine in Crimea have been going on for a long time, but without much success. There are no industrial tangerine plantations in open ground on the territory of Crimea yet and are not expected to do so in the coming years. Among Crimean amateur gardeners, tangerine grows and bears fruit only in a covered crop. For guard tangerine trees from winter frosts they use the following methods:
Mandarin propagation and age of onset of fruiting
Tangerines are propagated by seeds or grafting onto seedlings of any type of citrus crops. Tangerine cuttings practically do not take root even with the use of modern root formation stimulants. It is very difficult to root and the method air layering, sometimes used for other types of citrus fruits. The first flowering and fruiting of seedlings occurs after 5–7 years, and in grafted plants after 2–3 years.
Prickly deciduous trifoliata - cold-resistant rootstock for mandarin in open ground
In the Black Sea subtropics, trifoliata, the only deciduous species of citrus, is often used as a rootstock for mandarin. Such plants are more cold-resistant in open ground and are often sold in the markets of southern cities, but are absolutely not suitable for indoor culture due to the fact that trifoliata goes into a state of deep dormancy in winter.
How to grow tangerines at home
The easiest way to get a tangerine tree is from seeds, preferably from a plant grown in a room, but regular store-bought tangerines will also work. The seeds removed from the fruits should be washed with clean water and sown in pots with moist and loose nutritious soil.
Indoor tangerine can be grown from seeds
When the shoots appear, the plants should be placed on the brightest windowsill. Daily care tangerine tree consists of regular watering as needed, preventing the soil from drying out, and spraying the leaves with boiled water. If the leaves become dusty, they should be carefully wiped with a damp sponge.
Evergreen tangerine leaves should be regularly sprayed with water and wiped with a damp sponge.
For the winter, it is best to move indoor tangerines to a cool room with a temperature of +5..+10°C and hardly water them. If the plant is left to overwinter in warm room
, watering should only be slightly reduced compared to the summer season and additional illumination with special phytolamps for 12 hours a day is definitely needed.
The indoor mandarin is very light-loving
It takes 5–7 years for seedlings to bloom, so to quickly obtain fruit, it is recommended to purchase ready-made fruit-bearing trees in pots, grafted onto an evergreen rootstock.
Tangerine on deciduous trifoliate is not suitable for the room! On indoor tangerines
there are flowers and fruits at the same time
Indoor tangerines often bear both flowers and fruits at the same time. The home harvest is quite edible, but its taste can be different, depending on your luck.
Once upon a time, my grandfather tried to grow tangerines from seeds from fruits bought in a store. They sprouted and grew into small trees that stood on the windowsill. We still didn't see the harvest. The room was a little dark, and the lighting from ordinary incandescent lamps (others were simply not available for free in those years) was not enough for the tangerines. The leaves on them were pale and often fell off, despite daily spraying with water.
Mandarin is one of the most beloved tropical fruits by our compatriots, which is also popular because such a product is very affordable - fortunately, it is grown in many neighboring countries. However, other than a description of the color and taste, our people don’t know much about this fruit, and this situation needs to be corrected.
Homeland of the fruit
Erudite people are likely to remember that the main adverb Chinese language is called Mandarin, but their assumption is incorrect - modern scientists believe that the original homeland of mandarins is India. This fruit came to China two thousand years ago - this was its first “travel abroad”.
In those days, only the emperor himself could afford such imports, and only after a few centuries, with the establishment of stable trade relations, simply high-ranking officials were able to pamper themselves with this delicacy, who were nicknamed tangerines for this, and the language they and the emperor himself spoke was Mandarin. Although the climate of China allows it, this wonderful fruit became available to the public only in the Middle Ages.
The popularization of tangerines in China coincided with a sharp increase in travelers around the world, so it was this country that discovered this wonderful fruit to the world. From here, tangerines were brought not only to neighboring Japan, but also to Europe, where they arrived in the form of single copies around the Middle Ages through the mediation of Arab and Turkish merchants, as well as crusaders.
The fruit was liked by all the peoples who tried it, and it also turned out to be relatively resistant to cold, so without any selection it took root in the relatively cold countries of the Mediterranean.
The word “greenhouse,” by the way, is of French origin and implies a garden for oranges, that is, oranges, but in the cool France of the Middle Ages, tangerines would have taken root more likely - then, most likely, they would not have seen much of a difference.
If we talk about the post-Soviet space, then tangerines came here through territories that previously belonged to Ottoman Turkey, and then seceded Russian Empire– we are talking about Georgia. From there they eventually spread to the entire Transcaucasus and even reached the southern coast of Crimea.
Today this fruit, perhaps, will not be called a curiosity in any region of the world. Even in northern countries, many grow this short (from one and a half meters) tree right in the apartment as a decoration with tasty bonuses.
Where do they grow and when do they ripen?
Nowadays, tangerines grow almost anywhere – it’s easier to name a country where they don’t exist. Interestingly, this plant has not survived in the wild, so the crop can only be domesticated. In private households, tangerines traditionally ripen during a season that is completely atypical for our region - from November to January. But selection and active care have led to the fact that today these fruits ripen almost all year round. You can eat them fresh even in May, even in October, even in February.
Every year, tens of millions of tons of this tasty and delicious food are grown around the world. healthy fruit. The undoubted leader in terms of production is China, where it comes from. In 2016, 17.3 million tons of such citrus fruits were grown, while in second place Spain, their production lags significantly behind - “only” 2.94 million tons were harvested. But the top five countries that exceeded the harvest of one million tons in 2016, except China, are completed exclusively by countries in the Mediterranean region - this also includes Turkey (1.34 million tons), Morocco (1.08 million tons) and Egypt (1.02 million tons) ).
If we talk about the world as a whole, then in fact similar fruits are grown en masse in any tropical country. Moreover, they are absolutely everywhere, but in the north their number is simply not counted - the value is too small. Moreover, in each region there are local leaders who may not export their harvest, but at least provide it for themselves. Such leaders, in addition to those mentioned above, include the following:
- V South America– Brazil, Argentina and Peru;
- in Asia – Japan, Iran, South Korea, Pakistan, Thailand and Nepal;
- in Europe – Italy;
- V North America– USA and Mexico;
- in Africa - Algeria.
In Russia, as in most other post-Soviet countries, the situation with local tangerines is rather bad - they grow here more in theory than in practice, and such a number is not even included in the UN statistics. If you still want to try Russian mandarin, the easiest way to do this is in the vicinity of Sochi - this culture is highly valued there. As for the shelves, tangerines end up on them from other countries, for example, from the top five in world production.
Many domestic stores offer Georgian tangerines, which are relatively inexpensive due to good logistics (international statistics also include those grown in unrecognized Abkhazia) - 60 thousand tons of them were grown in 2016, but this is enough for export to almost the entire post-Soviet space. Among other countries in the region, only Azerbaijan (39 thousand tons) and Uzbekistan (1.6 thousand tons) can boast of relatively noticeable production.
Properties and taste
The taste of tangerine is familiar to everyone - this pleasant citrus has pronounced sweet notes that oranges do not have. It should be noted that there are two separate varieties of this fruit, very popular in the world - tangerine and clementine. Tangerine, named after the Moroccan city of Tangier, is actually grown primarily in China, where it is considered even more common than its “standard” cousin.
According to the description, such a fruit does not differ from an ordinary tangerine in any way, except for its redder color. Clementine is often called the Moroccan tangerine, and it actually comes mainly from this country, but it is distinguished by increased sweetness and the absence of seeds with somewhat complicated cleaning.
Tangerine is one of those delicacies that you shouldn’t deny yourself, although excessive consumption, of course, will also only do harm.
With its taste and smell alone, such a fruit can significantly lift your mood, but its benefits do not end there - it contains many useful substances, among which relatively rare ones are especially valuable. unpleasant consequences diseases of the cardiovascular system, including inflammatory processes.
Two more substances - lutein and zeaxanthin - work together to improve vision. They are generally responsible for the good sensitivity of the nerve endings in the eyes, but, in addition, they also protect the visual apparatus from the destructive effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Contrary to popular belief, we receive the main dose of light from the blue part of the spectrum, which is ultraviolet, not from space, even due to growing ozone holes, but precisely from active use computers and other similar equipment.
Almost the only available alternative for tangerines as a source of lutein in this case is egg yolk.
If we talk about vitamins, then most of all there are B vitamins, which support absolutely all body systems, as well as C - the famous ascorbic acid, so necessary for strengthening the immune system. One cannot fail to note the presence of vitamin K, without which the vascular walls would not be so elastic. Tangerines also contain a complex of microelements, including calcium and iron, magnesium and sodium, phosphorus and potassium.
If we talk about the complex of beneficial effects of tangerines on human body, then one cannot fail to note them extremely positive effect in the field of improving appetite, as well as accelerating metabolism and removing toxins from the body. As befits a citrus fruit, and one that also ripens in winter time, tangerine is incredible effective means from the vitamin deficiency characteristic of this, and with regular use it can become a worthy prevention of various colds.
Recently, theories have also been studied that the juice of this fruit can prevent the development of certain skin diseases.
What are the differences and how to choose?
The extremely extensive growing area of tangerines a priori suggests certain differences between regional varieties, so you can get an idea of the fruit based on where it grew. There is a certain risk of not meeting expectations, but it is usually small, so it is worth considering reasonable stereotypes.
- From Turkey They bring the cheapest fruits - this is possible due to large volumes of supplies. To be honest, it’s not worth asking a high price for such a product, because the Turks clearly focus on quantity rather than quality. Their fruits are distinguished by a sour taste, the presence of several seeds in each specimen and a firmly “adherent” skin.
- Abkhazian or generally Georgian mandarins It’s not difficult to find – it is this region that supplies the bulk of this product to our country. This product can be classified as a product of average quality - there are still a lot of seeds, but the taste is less sour, and the peel is much easier to remove than from Turkish competitors. This fruit can also be distinguished by its unusually yellow skin.
- Moroccan clementines are not tangerines in the full sense - they are, rather, a hybrid of them with one of the varieties of orange. The product is rich orange dark shades, the peel is very easy to remove, and the pulp has no seeds or any significant sourness.
- Spanish tangerines– this is an elite product, you can rarely find it, but you will have to pay quite a lot. This fruit is not without several seeds, but it is extremely easy to peel, and most importantly, it has an atypical, extremely sweet taste without any hint of sourness.
- Chinese tangerines For most of our fellow citizens they are exotic, but in areas directly bordering China, such a fruit is not so difficult to get. Its shape is unusual - it looks more like a pumpkin. There are few seeds here, and the taste can be described as sweet and sour.
As for freshness, the choice here is extremely simple - it’s easy to see from tangerines if they are spoiled. Good fruit should have a smooth skin without any dents or traces of mold, not to mention spots of rot. A truly ripe fruit necessarily has a high juice content. It is enough to squeeze it a little in your hand so that it sprays with aromatic liquid. At the same time, a certain discount must also be made for the season. For example, in the midst of winter we are often brought sweet Israeli tangerines, which even when ripe do not splash much juice due to the fact that they are, in principle, rather dry.
To learn how to grow tangerines at home, watch the following video.
It turns out that tangerines became the symbol of the New Year for a reason. This happened back in the Soviet Union, when in winter there was a particularly acute shortage of foreign fruits. Since tangerines were ripe in Abkhazia just in time for the New Year, Soviet citizens were waiting for them on the shelves to make supplies for festive table. Now, when the abundance of fruits does not dry out even in cold weather, tangerines still remain New Year's favorites. True, many more varieties have appeared on the shelves, so it is important to learn how to choose the most delicious fruits.
Spanish tangerines. Tangerines grown in sunny Spain, are distinguished by their rather large size and bright, thick skin. But, despite its thickness, it is easy to clean. Spanish tangerines have juicy flesh and a sweet taste. The only downside is the presence of seeds. But there are varieties without this drawback, so you need to clarify this fact with the sellers. Spanish tangerines are one of the most delicious and expensive, so you can only find them in large stores.
Chinese tangerines. It is Chinese tangerines that are almost always sold with twigs and leaves. Usually these fruits are not very large and not very bright, often with a greenish tint. Chinese tangerines have good taste qualities, they are sweet and sour, juicy and easy to peel. In terms of price, Chinese tangerines are one of the most affordable.
Turkish tangerines. Tangerines from Turkey have different colors; they can be either yellow or orange. The brightest fruits are usually the sweetest. These fruits have very few seeds, which is an undoubted advantage. But the disadvantages of Turkish tangerines include the hard-to-peel peel.
Moroccan tangerines. Among the varieties of tangerines from Morocco, it is almost impossible to find sour fruits. Also, these tangerines rarely have seeds. Tangerines from Morocco have a very bright orange color and a small characteristic dent in the middle, so they are easy to distinguish from others. They also have a thin skin that can be peeled off easily.
Abkhazian tangerines. These tangerines do not look as presentable as the others, but they are rightfully considered the most healthy and environmentally friendly. They are not waxed, so their skin is not shiny. The color of the fruit is not bright, with green splashes, like the Chinese varieties. The pulp is sweet and sour, juicy, and there are practically no seeds. The peel is quite thin, so tangerines from Abkhazia are easy to peel.
