607101 Thu Mar 26 15:18:49 -0700 2009 8 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4541691 I'm eating a little bag of oranges and they are, seriously, the best oranges I've ever had. The juice coming out of these things is almost syrup and both the flavor and sweetness are hyperconcentrated. The bag says they are seedless mandarins, while the label on the oranges themselves say they are Clementines from Jaffa, so they might actually be shamouti oranges based on a bit of googling. They're theoretically seedless, but in practice, not so much, really, as most of them have at least a couple of seeds of significant size. Did I just get lucky and get a decent batch of what are otherwise normal oranges? Or is this a type of orange that I can reasonably expect to always be this good? Thu Mar 26 15:18:49 -0700 2009 10021 Jacquilynne 1 4541773 I always thought that Clementines and Mandarins were one and the same thing. Looks like it's time for me to research. Thu Mar 26 15:47:22 -0700 2009 4541691 116047 The Professor 2 4541865 I don't know -- they might be genetically very similar, but there must be some growing conditions-related differences, at minimum. I grew up on Japanese mandarins on the west coast, and the clementines they get here in central Canada never tasted the same. For that matter, even the Chinese mandarins we got in the years when money was tight were never as good as the Japanese mandarins -- they were always a bit more likely to be mealy or sour and they had much thicker skin. Thu Mar 26 16:21:01 -0700 2009 4541773 10021 Jacquilynne 2 4546262 From wikipedia: A clementine is the hesperidium of a variety of mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), named in 1902. (A hesperidium (plural hesperidia) is a modified berry with a tough, leathery rind. The peel contains volatile oil glands in pits. The fleshy interior is composed of separate sections, called carpels, filled with fluid-filled vesicles that are actually specialized hair cells. The outer ovary wall becomes the thick spongy layer, while the inner ovary wall becomes very juicy with several seeds. Oranges and other citrus fruits are common examples.) I'm keeping an eye out for the ones you found! I've had this experience before- one bag/box of amazing oranges, and then the next one from the same brand stinks. I assume, like all produce, everything can affect the quality from day to day. Sat Mar 28 09:20:11 -0700 2009 4541773 183643 sfumato 3 4685996 >>>>The fleshy interior is composed of separate sections, called carpels, filled with fluid-filled vesicles that are actually specialized hair cells.<<<< specialized hair cells? wow, that's interesting. a bit unappetizing, though. can't i just say "little juicy sacs" instead of "specialized hair cells"? Fri May 15 05:37:12 -0700 2009 4546262 105717 alkapal 1 4541876 Where did you find these? I'd like to try them if they are still around. Thu Mar 26 16:24:37 -0700 2009 4541691 23411 embee 2 4541900 Dominion on Keele at Wilson. They're pre-packaged in a little mesh bag. Thu Mar 26 16:32:32 -0700 2009 4541876 10021 Jacquilynne 3 4545530 I think you really lucked out. I checked the nearest Metro store (Danforth & VP - one of their best stores). They had many different kinds of "clementines", "mandarins", and "tangerines". They were in large and small mesh bags, in boxes, and loose. They came mainly from Morocco, but also from Florida, Guam, and various islands labeled as US territory. There was nothing from Jaffa. Produce staff conferred and concluded they had no idea :-( Fri Mar 27 21:02:00 -0700 2009 4541900 23411 embee 1 4545904 I think you were fortunate. I got a bag of oranges at Sam's Club one week and it was really good. I went back 2 weeks later and bought another bag , this bag was awful, dried out , tasteless oranges , and it was from the same company. Sat Mar 28 05:36:48 -0700 2009 4541691 171261 LadyCook61