Photo by Nicole Franzen

Forget about Match.com and E-Harmony -- it’s all about mandarin oranges! On the last day of the Chinese New Year, it's traditional for single women in Malaysia and Singapore to write their contact numbers on mandarin oranges and fling them into the sea. The oranges are collected and eaten by men searching for a mate. If the fruit is sweet, it means fate is smiling upon the match. If it’s sour...not so much.

Even without its purported husband-finding powers, the mandarin orange is a treat. In season -- depending on the type, from early winter until early spring -- its cheerful tequila sunrise-evoking hue brightens up even the drabbest day. So does its sweet, slightly tart flavor. Its loose skin is easy enough for a child to peel, making the mandarin orange a perfect lunch box stuffer -- and with its small size, a vitamin C-rich portable snack. Mandarin orange is a term that applies to several varieties, both seeded and not, including tangerines, satsumas, and clementines.

Tangerines, which get their name from Tangiers, the Moroccan port from which the citrus fruits were first shipped to Europe, are a bit harder to peel than the others and have a more assertive, citrusy tang.  Originating in Japan, satsumas are the juiciest mandarins. Their segments are commonly canned in light syrup as the very mandarin oranges that have enlivened so many Chinese chicken salads. The smallest and arguably the sweetest of the bunch, clementines are exported primarily from Spain during the winter holidays, causing some to refer them as "Christmas oranges." Their deliciousness is heightened by a limited season which runs for just a couple months.

How do you serve these easy-to-peel oranges? Share your favorite ways to enjoy mandarin oranges in the comments section below. Remember, if you choose to upload a recipe (and we hope you will), please mention it in your comment.

We'll assemble and share some of our favorite ideas next week.

 
Photos by Sarah Shatz

Recipes we love:

Satsuma, Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Clementine Crush Sparkling Cocktail
Tangerine and Almond Shortbread Tart [FOOD52]
Brandy Fruit [FOOD52] (pictured above, right)
Orange Quinoa Salad with Almond, Olives, and Feta [FOOD52]
Clementine Pound Cake [FOOD52] (pictured above, left)

For more winter produce inspiration, check out our previous topic: Your Best Ideas for Beets, and the selection of your best tips and recipes, How to Use Beets.