Every part of the Clementine tangerine provides some useful product. Although most consumers throw away the peels and seeds, industrial processes use them as a source of essential oils. Citrus oils find their way into perfumes, and dried citrus peels become part of tea, potpourri and marmalade. Although the thin tangerine peel is edible, other types of citrus provide larger amounts of citrus zest -- the fragrant waxy outer layer.
History
Mandarin oranges and tangerines originated in Southeast Asia. The natural range of the species also included the Philippines. Cultivated varieties from Japan and China reached the United States in the 1800s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced the Algerian tangerine or Clementine into Florida in 1909. California's first Clementines were planted in 1914.
Uses
The Clementine's fine flavor makes this citrus fruit popular for eating out of hand, but peeled segments also add a delicious touch to salads. The fruit skins easily and the rind adds fragrance to candies, jellies and liquors if processed correctly. The bitter taste of the white pith beneath the orange skin disappears with boiling. Peeling the reddish-orange top layer away with a grater creates the fresh citrus spice called zest. Dried strips of the thin outer rind add citrus flavor to teas.
Benefits
Clementines, like other citrus fruits, provide bioflavonoids -- antioxidants that raise the levels of vitamin C in cells. Tangerines also contain useful amounts of vitamin C, calcium and phosphorous. Clementines contribute vitamin A, which is essential to good vision, and yield folic acid, which helps to prevent birth defects. The powerful nutrients in Clementines support the immune system and help to maintain cardiovascular health.
Types
Clementines, mandarin oranges and tangerines all came from the Citrus Reticulata Blanco species of citrus tree. Each commercial variety resulted from an individual variation within the species. Clementines -- a variety that originated in Algeria -- provided stock for cross-breeding many other named varieties of tangerines. Important varieties with Clementine ancestry include Robinson, Osceola and Lee tangerines and the Nova tangelo.
Warning
Making citrus zest or candied citrus peel from Clementine tangerines takes more effort than working with the peels of oranges and other citrus fruits. The thicker skin of oranges makes separating the fragrant peel from its bitter pith easier. Clementine peel slips easily from the inner fruit, making grating or peeling the rind a tricky process. The shelf life of tangerines like the Clementine is shorter than that of oranges. Don't use peels taken from fruit in poor condition.
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