"Have you ever tried the Sumo tangerine?" asked Art's cousin, Renee.
No we hadn't. Renee said it was a rather strange looking tangerine with a rather knobby, easy to peel skin. Since we were walking to zumba together, she brought a couple over for us to try. That was very kind of her because they run about $3.00+ a pound.
At one time the Sumo tangerine cost between $8.00 a fruit in Japan and South Korea which were the only places you could get them until some farmers in California starting growing them. The Sumo tangerine was developed by a grower from the Kumamoto prefecture in Kyushu, Japan. He created a hybrid between the easy to peel Satsuma tangerine and the large sweet California orange. The Sumo tangerine is called Dekopon in Japan and Hallabong in Korea.
We weren't sure what to expect. They were easy to peel, large for tangerines, juicy and sweet. The fruit texture was a little different from what we expect a tangerine to be. It was more like easy to separate tangerine sections but had the feel of an orange. Oh yes! It was very, very good.
It was also good that there were no Sumo seeds because I'm seeing two of my California Meyer lemon seeds starting to germinate, and I have no idea where I'm going to plant them. Don't tell Mom. She still thinks I'm nuts planting the Satsuma Tangerine.
Hmmm.... maybe Renee has some space to plant a lemon tree. I'll have to ask her.
No we hadn't. Renee said it was a rather strange looking tangerine with a rather knobby, easy to peel skin. Since we were walking to zumba together, she brought a couple over for us to try. That was very kind of her because they run about $3.00+ a pound.
At one time the Sumo tangerine cost between $8.00 a fruit in Japan and South Korea which were the only places you could get them until some farmers in California starting growing them. The Sumo tangerine was developed by a grower from the Kumamoto prefecture in Kyushu, Japan. He created a hybrid between the easy to peel Satsuma tangerine and the large sweet California orange. The Sumo tangerine is called Dekopon in Japan and Hallabong in Korea.
We weren't sure what to expect. They were easy to peel, large for tangerines, juicy and sweet. The fruit texture was a little different from what we expect a tangerine to be. It was more like easy to separate tangerine sections but had the feel of an orange. Oh yes! It was very, very good.
It was also good that there were no Sumo seeds because I'm seeing two of my California Meyer lemon seeds starting to germinate, and I have no idea where I'm going to plant them. Don't tell Mom. She still thinks I'm nuts planting the Satsuma Tangerine.
Hmmm.... maybe Renee has some space to plant a lemon tree. I'll have to ask her.
I've never had one of these tangerines before. It looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteI just tried these this week and they are so sweet and delicious. The grocery store had samples which I tried and then bought a few at $3 per pound.
ReplyDeleteIt has to be a FEW. I was going to buy four of them, but it would have been $6.00. I ended up putting two of them back and buying only two. I saw a lady buying a bagful. I hate to think what her bill would be.
DeleteLooks good, Kay! I'd much rather have and grow a tangerine than a lemon tree any day.
ReplyDeleteThese Sumo tangerines look so much like what we call oranges here in India. Your description and photo also fits to a T. I grew up eating these oranges, native to Central India. The yellow orange version is the very ripe version, and what we saw in the market fruit stalls would be greenish yellow orange, more fresh and just plucked.
ReplyDeleteWhat amuses me, is that when I went to the US in 1969 for grad school in California, oranges there actually looked very different. More like what we call sweet limes here, but orange in color. What you guys called oranges appeared here a few years ago and everyone called them Malta oranges. We now get our original oranges (like big satsumas) , plus the California oranges. I guess globalization means the original variety slowly fades away. Like our native corn which was cream in color, has disappeared, and we now only get yellow american sweet corn everywhere.
And here you are, delighted about the satsumas, which I think are our original oranges of my childhood.
I guess the earth IS round .....
You're making me want to get myself over to India right away. Your original oranges sound fabulous!
DeleteI just saw these for the first time this winter, they were very pricey but I would love to try them, I will look for them today!
ReplyDeleteWe buy an easy to peer small orange that has no seeds (maybe one sometimes) and they are called Cuties. They are yummy.
ReplyDeleteThe cuties are Clementines and we love them too. I find they aren't as sweet here in Hawaii as the ones we used to get in Illinois from Spain.
DeleteI have not seen these at all, but they look yummy. I have gotten into the habit of adding one drop of honey and a big slice of fresh lemon to my water. It is almost addiction level and I don't know what I will do when we head back to VT. One can buy objects that look like citrus fruits there, but the juice and the taste are just lacking.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing but without the honey.
Deletemost of the fruit we get here in utah during the winter comes from chile-flown up-it's quite a world we live in!
ReplyDelete8 bucks? I can imagine produce departments over there get few customers
ReplyDeleteOh I am envious. The scent when the bloom should be wonderfu. Dianne
ReplyDeleteMaybe she has a friend who would want another. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I will get some of those for G. Thanks.
Just get a couple, Mage because it's awfully expensive if you get more than a couple.
DeleteGet some big pots, put them on all of that concrete, and start a citrus orchard!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take your advice and start looking for a large pot that won't blow over during our bad wind storms.
DeleteThe Sumo tangerine sounds like a yummy fruit. Easy to peel is a big plus. Not the prettiest to look at!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Paul and so expensive.
DeleteTangerines and oranges are my favourite kind of fruit. The. Sumo tangerine look good!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. My daughter looks happy doesn't she?!
She certainly did, Wil.
DeleteI hate to be a downer to this discussion and unappreciative of good food but to me I can't tell the difference of one from another tastewise, and therefore I get by paying the least amount for everything I eat. Low maintenance I guess. I would spend more for better quality nutrition but not for good taste or expensive cuisine.
ReplyDeleteL...w
We did like the taste and ease of peeling, but I think I'll just stick to clementines. These were just too expensive.
DeleteOrchid show looks sweet as a tangerine. What juicy posts, Kay
ReplyDeleteAloha:-)