It's Tangerine Season! How Much Do You Know About The Fan Favorite Fruit?

Do you get as excited as I do when grocery stores start carrying those giant bags of tangerines or clementines? They're tangy, sweet, loaded with vitamin C, and they're easy to peel, making them the perfect snack for any time of day. But how much do you know about the portable and easy-to-eat citrus?

Like satsumas and clementines, tangerines are a type of mandarin. (Unlike tangerines, clementines have little to no seeds and easy-to-peel skin; satsumas hail from Japan.) The name "tangerine" comes from Tangier, Morocco, which was the port that the first batch of tangerines were shipped out of!

The fruit is in season roughly from late October through January, and you should choose tangerines with an even, deep orange color and no soft or brown spots. Store yours in the refrigerator for up to two weeks!

I prefer to peel and eat them on the spot, but there's more to tangerines than delicious simplicity. You can enjoy the citrus fruit in a fresh salad or even throw them in a smoothie! Try substituting tangerines for oranges in a roast chicken recipe or highlight the citrus fruit at brunch by making a tangerine and lemon marmalade.