Mandarin Orange
By: Anonymous

About

The Mandarin orange, also known as mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree (Citrus reticulata) with fruit resembling the orange. The fruit is oblate, rather than spherical. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain, or in fruit salads. Specifically reddish orange mandarin cultivars can be marketed as tangerines, but this is not a botanical classification.

Information
Other names: Citrus Reticulata
Translations: Μανταρίνι πορτοκαλί, Mandarinas, ماندارين أورانج, Mandarinka, Mandarine, マンダリンオレンジ, Mandarine, Mandarinka, מנדרינית אורנג ', Мандарина, 만다린 오렌지, Mandarin ऑरेंज, Mandarina, Мандарин, 橘子, Мандарин, Mandarina, Мандарин Orange


Physical Description
The Mandarin orange, also known as the mandarin or mandarine (both lower-case), is a small citrus tree (Citrus reticulata) with fruit resembling other oranges. The fruit is oblate rather than spherical.
Colors: Reddish- Orange


Tasting Notes
Flavors: Citrus, and Zesty
Substitutes: Tangerine


Selecting and Buying
Choosing: Select fruits that are unblemished and heavy for their size. Avoid those with cuts, soft spots, or mold. Bright color is not necessarily an indication of quality as some are dyed and some naturally have green patches even when fully ripe. 
Buying: The fruits are available in fresh form during the season in most markets, and in cans year-round.

Procuring: The tree is more drought-tolerant than the fruit. The mandarin is tender, and is damaged easily by cold. It can be grown in tropical and subtropical areas.Depending on the variety, mandarin oranges are in season from November through June in the Northern hemisphere, with peak season being December and January. 



Preparation and Use
Mandarin oranges are little segments of bright citrus flavor suitable for salads, vegetables, main dishes and, of course, desserts.
Cleaning: When substituting canned mandarins for fresh, you will most likely need to drain them from the syrup and may even wish to gently rinse them.



Conserving and Storing
They may be stored in a cool, dark spot for a few days, but ideally should be refrigerated to extend shelf life up to two weeks.Store unopened cans on a cool shelf up to six months. Once opened, they should be refrigerated in a covered container and used within one week. 


Social/Political

History: The terms "mandarin orange" and "tangerine" are often used interchangably, particularly outside the United States. This can be confusing, because although a tangerine is a mandarin orange, not all mandarin oranges are tangerines. Several regions are major producers of mandarin oranges, including the Southern states of America, several Mediterranean nations, and Mexico.