Saint Nicholas is said to have put gold coins into the stockings of three poor girls so that they would be able to afford to get married. For many, the arrival of Japanese mandarin oranges signalled the beginning of the holiday season." This Japanese tradition merged with European traditions related to the Christmas stocking. 'Orange Trains' – trains with boxcars painted orange – alerted everyone along the way that the irresistible oranges from Japan were back again for the holidays. The tradition spread among the non-Japanese population and eastwards across the country: each November harvest, "The oranges were quickly unloaded and shipped east by rail. This custom goes back to the 1880s when Japanese immigrants in Canada and the United States began receiving Japanese mandarin oranges from their families back home as gifts for the New Year. In Canada and the United States, they are commonly purchased in 5- or 10-pound boxes, individually wrapped in soft green paper, and given in Christmas stockings. In traditional Chinese medicine, the dried peel of the fruit is used in the regulation of ch'i and to enhance digestion. The oranges are then packed in airtight sealed containers. Once orange segments are properly prepared, mandarin oranges undergo heat processing to remove bacteria that can cause spoilage. Finally, the segments are rinsed several times in plain water. First, the segments are scalded in hot water to loosen the skin then, they are bathed in a lye solution, which digests the albedo and membranes. Segments are peeled using a chemical process. Canning Ĭanned mandarin segments are peeled to remove the white pith before canning otherwise, they turn bitter. In Chinese cuisine, the peel of the mandarin orange, called chenpi, is used to flavour sweet dishes and sauces. It is also used as a flavouring in liqueurs. Essential oil from the fresh peel may be used as a flavouring for candy, in gelatins, ice cream, chewing gum, and baked goods. It can be used as a spice for cooking, baking, drinks, or candy. The peel is used fresh, whole or zested, or dried as chenpi. The number of seeds in each segment (carpel) varies greatly. Fresh mandarin juice and frozen juice concentrate are commonly available in the United States. Mandarins are generally peeled and eaten fresh or used in salads, desserts and main dishes. Ĭitrus reticulata is from Latin, where reticulata means "netted". The Imperial Chinese term "mandarine" was first adopted by the French for this fruit. The name mandarin orange is a calque of Swedish mandarin apelsin, first attested in the 18th century. Though the ancestral mandarin was bitter, most commercial mandarin strains derive from hybridization with pomelo, which gives them a sweet fruit. The mandarin has also been hybridized with other citrus species, such as the desert lime and the kumquat. With the citron and pomelo, it is the ancestor of the most commercially important hybrids (such as sweet and sour oranges, grapefruit, and many lemons and limes). Īccording to genetic studies, the mandarin was one of the original citrus species through breeding or natural hybridization, it is the ancestor of many hybrid citrus cultivars. It can be grown in tropical and subtropical areas. The mandarin is tender and is damaged easily by cold. Hybrids usually have these traits to a lesser degree. The peel is thin, loose, with little white mesocarp, so they are usually easier to peel and to split into segments. A ripe mandarin is firm to slightly soft, heavy for its size, and pebbly-skinned. The taste is considered sweeter and stronger than the common orange. Mandarins are smaller and oblate, unlike the spherical common oranges (which are a mandarin– pomelo hybrid). Tangerines are a group of orange-coloured citrus fruit consisting of hybrids of mandarin orange with some pomelo contribution. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. The mandarin orange ( Citrus reticulata), also known as mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree fruit.
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