4 Facts About the Honey Mandarin
February is almost here, which means it’s almost time to order Honey Mandarin Oranges from Pittman & Davis! Honey mandarins are as sweet as they sound, with a rich, sweet flavor bound up in a little package. Small and easy to peel, Honey Mandarins are great for snacking and in lunchboxes and salads.
What Makes the Honey Mandarin Different from Other Mandarins?
These California beauties can be hard to find in grocery stores (which is why your best bet is to look for them at Pittman & Davis), so you may not have experienced the joy of eating one. The trees that grow them can be a bit temperamental (which is why they’re so rare), but their delectable flavor makes up for it. Known for their honey-sweetness with a touch of spiciness, these petite, honey-gold fruits are easy to peel and a wonderful winter pick-me-up.
There are so many reasons to buy Honey Mandarin Oranges online at Pittman & Davis. For one thing, they’re an easy and delicious way to add certain nutrients to your diet! While they don’t have as much vitamin C as the ubiquitous orange, they’re still a good source with 44% of the daily value (as opposed to an orange’s 89%). In addition to that, they contain more vitamin A than oranges and are a great source of fiber, folate and potassium.
How can Honey Mandarins Best Be Enjoyed?
Apart from snacking on them fresh out of hand (and you and your family will love how easy Honey Mandarins are to take along), this citrus fruit has many culinary uses. Asian dishes in particular (such as orange chicken) benefit from the sweet spiciness of Honey Mandarins. Try them in salads, too – whisk together lemon juice, lime juice, and olive oil with salt and pepper, add Honey Mandarin sections and sliced cucumber, and top a bed of spinach greens for a healthy, fruity salad the whole family will love!
Honey Mandarins can be used in both sweet and savory dishes as well as spreads, teas, and cocktails. They’re also wonderful in baking (try using them in orange scones) and as a marmalade base. You can also swap out lemon juice with juice from a Honey Mandarin in your favorite drinks.
To celebrate Honey Mandarin season, here are four fun facts about mandarins:
Fun Fact #1: Mandarins were one of the original citrus species. Along with the citron and the pomelo, the mandarin is an ancestor to many of the most popular commercial citrus fruits, including Navel Oranges, Tangerines, Clementines and Grapefruit.
Fun Fact #2: The traditional Christmas stocking orange originated with Japanese mandarins. The custom of getting an orange in one’s Christmas stocking dates back to the 1880s, when immigrants from Japan were sent honey mandarin oranges from their families in the old country as gifts for the New Year. The custom eventually merged with the European legend of St. Nicholas, who was said to leave gold coins in the stockings of poor girls to use as a dowry. The golden peel of the honey mandarin was a great stand-in for gold coins!
Fun Fact #3: All tangerines are mandarins, but not all mandarins are tangerines. The terms “mandarin” and “tangerine” are used interchangeably throughout the USA, even though they’re not the same. Tangerines and clementines aren’t the same fruit, either, but they are practically first cousins – they are both hybrids of the small-sized mandarin.
Fun Fact #4: Honey Mandarins are useful for more than eating. Did you know you can create an all-natural, homemade detergent using mandarins and vinegar? Most detergents contain extracts from citrus fruits, which are natural cleaning agents and great at removing odors. Mandarins are also great for your skin, so while you’re at it make some homemade skincare products!
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