Minneola Tangelo
By: Chris Paulk

About

The Minneola Tangelo is a cross between a grapefruit and tangerine. The fruits are the size of an adult fist and have a tangerine taste, but are very juicy, to the point of not providing much flesh but producing excellent and plentiful juice. Tangelos generally have loose skin and are easier to peel than oranges.They are easily distinguished from oranges by a characteristic knob at the top of the fruit.

Information
Other names: Minneola, Tangerine, Tangelo, Honeybell


Physical Description
They are dark orange, large, round and characterized by a stem-end neck, that appears as a knob on the fruit and tends to make the fruit appear bell-shaped.
Colors: Dark orange


Tasting Notes
Flavors: sweet and citrusy
Mouthfeel: Juicy, Sweet, Citrusy, Bright
Food complements: Basil, Lettuce, Cabbage, Seafood
Wine complements: White wine or sangria
Beverage complements: Tea, Sparkling water, Sake
Substitutes: Grapefruit, Oranges, Tangerines


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, november, december
Peak: january, december
Choosing: Look for fruit with mostly unblemished skin. They should be the size of an adults fist and dark reddish orange in color.
Buying: Minneolas are available in the late fall and through the winter. They are available online or at most grocers. 
Procuring: The Minneola is not strongly self-fruitful and yields will be greater when interplanted with suitable pollenizers such as Temple, Sunburst tangerine or possibly Fallglo tangerine. It tends to bear a good crop every other year.
Minneolas will develop into a very large tree at maturity and adequate space for development should be provided.
When pollenizers are supplied and growing conditions are good, Minneolas will sometimes produce disappointingly small crops, the reason for which is not clearly understood. Since low yields are sometimes a problem, commercial growers often resort to gibberellic acid growth regulator sprays or girdling the trunk of the tree to increase fruit set and subsequent yield.


Preparation and Use
Just peel and eat. 
Cleaning: Rinse the skin under cold water.


Conserving and Storing
Store in a cool area. They are better when stored on the counter at room temperature than refrigerated. 


Social/Political
Its attractive color, excellent flavor, and low seed content have popularized it in Florida where it is currently of limited commercial importance.  There is increasing interest in its culture in the low elevation desert regions of Arizona and California.
History: The Minneola tangelo (sometimes misspelled "Mineola") is a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine and was released in 1931 by the United States Department of Agriculture Horticultural Research Station in Orlando.