November · San Diego
Satsuma mandarins
Satsumas are among the first California citrus of the season, and they start arriving in November — sweet, seedless, and so loose in their skins they peel in one piece. They're at their best now and through December.
How to choose it
- Heavy for their size; light ones have started to dry out
- A puffy, loose peel is normal for a satsuma, not a sign of age
- Bright orange, with a little green near the stem still fine
- No soft, sunken spots
Buy this much: A 2-lb bag, about ten. One goes into the jar and the braise; the rest get eaten out of hand.
Usually sold in bags or by the pound; the bags are cheaper and just as good.
During the week
- Peel into the pickled fennel
- Zest and segments over yogurt in the morning
- Sliced into rounds over shaved fennel beside the halibut
- Juice and zest in the white beans under the crisp chicken
On a weekend
Juice and zest into the weekend braise, where they keep a rich pot bright.
One thing worth learning
A satsuma's loose peel is the variety, not age. Judge them by weight instead: a heavy one is full of juice.