After all, for the Abkhaz now is not the season at all. Real Abkhazian tangerines ripen, as a rule, in mid-November, their trade continues until the new year. Of course, there are early varieties, but they also ripen only in mid-October.
And those yellow-green tangerines that are now flooding the market counters appeared on sale in late September - early October. What is this fruit? There is a suspicion that these tangerines grew in China ...
To understand the scale of the deception, employees of Roskontrol checked several food and agricultural markets in Moscow.
Leningrad market
The first in our test was the agricultural market "Leningradsky", located in Moscow on the street. Hourly.
Under the guise of ordinary buyers, we asked the country of origin of citrus fruits. The sellers assured us one by one that the tangerines were the real Abkhaz ones. They asked for a kilogram from 200 to 300 rubles. But when asked to show a certificate of conformity or invite the director, the sellers refused: “The director has the documents, the director has gone somewhere, left, come back tomorrow.”
Dorogomilovsky market
Almost on each of the stalls of the Dorogomilovsky market there were such "Abkhazian" tangerines
We also received confirmation of this fact at the Dorogomilovsky market.
We walked around several counters, at each of which the sellers assured us of the Abkhazian origin of the yellow-green fruit.
After another seller told the Abkhazian legend and treated an employee of Roskontrol with a tangerine slice, the girl made a disappointed face, they say, sour! And she asked if there were any Chinese tangerines?
- I was advised to take Chinese ones, they say they are very tasty!
On the same Dorogomilovsky, we first encountered a situation where Chinese tangerines are divided into two piles - smaller and larger. Small fruits are declared Chinese and sold for 250 rubles. per kilo, and large - Abkhazian. They ask for at least 300 rubles for them.
Some of the sellers of small and large tangerines are called "Abkhazian" and "Caucasian", respectively. The word "China" does not appear at all.
Danilovsky Market
Large tangerines lie in front of the pineapple, they are called "Abkhazian". There is no price tag.
Next we checked out the Danilovsky Market. On October 6, information about the import of Chinese tangerines was posted on the official page of this market in one of the social networks. The administration informed the consumer about the opportunity to buy fruits produced in China. There was no mention of fruits from Abkhazia.
When visiting the market, we found that the sellers, who have unsorted yellow-green tangerines with leaves, call these fruits Abkhazian.
For those merchants who sorted the fruits into large and small, the fruits are called Abkhazian (300 rubles) and Chinese (250 rubles).
Koptevsky market
Here the price of Chinese tangerines ranges from 130 to 180 rubles. Fruits are also sold under the guise of Abkhaz. Upon request, the sellers presented the “Conclusion on the sale of food products on this market according to the veterinary and sanitary examination”. The examination includes an assessment of organoleptic indicators and a check food product dosimeter. That is, fruits are evaluated by their appearance and by compliance with the radioactive background. But the country-manufacturer does not appear in the conclusion. Nothing is said in the conclusion about the presence or absence of pesticides.
Velozavodsky and Lefortovsky markets
The price for "Abkhazian" tangerines in the markets of Velozavodsky and Lefortovsky is on average within 150-180 rubles. The fruits are the same - yellow-green, with foliage.
When asked to show a declaration of conformity, a box with labels in which tangerines were delivered to the market, traders, at best, presented an expert opinion of local laboratories on organoleptic.
We repeat, none of the sellers provided the relevant documents that the fruits were brought from Abkhazia.
Where do these fruits come from to the Moscow markets?
Most retailers stock up in bulk at vegetable warehouses. That is why, in search of the truth, we came to one of the vegetable warehouses near Moscow, in the city of Dolgoprudny.
Employees of the vegetable warehouse assured that the tangerines of the species we are interested in (yellow-green, with leaves) were brought from China. Tangerines from Abkhazia were not available this year yet! The price of Chinese tangerines at a vegetable warehouse is on average 80-85 rubles. per kg. The wholesalers allowed us to photograph the crates containing the "controversial" tangerines.
At one of the largest vegetable warehouses in the Moscow region, "Abkhazian" tangerines are sold packed in boxes labeled in Chinese.
The main evidence is the boxes in which these tangerines are delivered to Moscow's vegetable warehouses. Chinese inscriptions, labels with hieroglyphs - it is quite difficult to confuse the country of origin.
Why do sellers hide the truth?
Reference
Exactly a year ago (at the end of October 2014) cases of poisoning with yellow-green tangerines were recorded in Barnaul - low-quality fruits were sold in the local distribution network and had a chemical aftertaste. A few hours after eating the fruit, people who tasted these tangerines began to vomit and have diarrhea. Similar cases after eating Chinese tangerines were in April 2014 in Karaganda. Define yourself dangerous fruits impossible. The only thing that the victims remembered was a bitter aftertaste.
The Internet is replete with reports that the Chinese use super-fertilizers to harvest 3-5 crops a year. And, they say, fruits from China are stuffed with saltpeter, pesticides and other chemicals that are not useful for the body. How true is this information? We have not found evidence to support these rumors.
But the fact that repeated cases of poisoning by Chinese tangerines have been recorded in Russia is a fact.
Although, according to employees of Rospotrebnadzor, harmful products from abroad do not get on the table to the townspeople. BUT food poisoning or infection is possible with improper storage or from expired products.
Of course, deliveries from China are checked. Customs has the right to allow importation into Russia if there is a declaration of conformity for the goods. This accompanying document, in turn, is issued on the basis of a laboratory protocol. Poor quality goods must be destroyed or returned back to China.
But the fact that the customs gave the go-ahead for the import of imported fruits does not mean that they are safe.
The fact is that in laboratory studies, some types of toxic substances may go unnoticed. To find them, you need to know what to look for.
In fairness, we note that with the use of new generation fertilizers, any fruits and vegetables can be grown in any country in the world, including Russia.
What threatens sellers with this cunning marketing ploy?
— Passing one product for another, the seller not only misleads us, consumers, he commits several administrative offenses at once.
It is obvious that, first of all, this is a deception of the consumer, for which the Code of Administrative Offenses provides for liability in the form of a fine of up to 50,000 rubles, and in some cases up to 500,000 rubles.
This is definitely effective.
However, the practice and statistics of the Rospotrebnadzor authorities show that the average fine for sellers in 2014 was 5-6 thousand rubles, which, of course, does not motivate the seller to be honest with the consumer.
The absence of documents for products, in the form of certificates of conformity, also forms an administrative offense, the fine for which is up to 30 thousand rubles. It is a lot or a little, the conclusion can be drawn by yourself, given that virtually all the market traders we interviewed did not have supporting documents for their products. Apparently, it is cheaper to pay in those rare cases when a check comes than to comply with the law.
- According to the rules for the sale of individual goods (approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 19, 1998 N 55), the seller is obliged to ensure the availability of uniform and clearly defined price tags for the goods sold, indicating the name of the goods, grade (if any), price per weight or unit goods, the signature of the financially responsible person or the seal of the organization, the date of registration of the price tag.
If there is no price tag, then this is a violation of the consumer's right to receive the necessary and reliable information about the goods being sold. According to Art. 14.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, such a violation entails the imposition of an administrative fine on officials in the amount of five hundred to one thousand rubles; for legal entities - from five thousand to ten thousand rubles.
Hello! I decided to specifically analyze the question about the choice of tangerines. I was in the store today, I saw large glossy fruits, I bought it. Turned out sour, impossible to eat. But soon the New Year and I want to have on the table not only hot dishes, all kinds of snacks, but also delicious ripe fruits.
By the way, our unchanging New Year's symbol brings happiness and longevity, strengthens the family. Include it in the family menu more often. Eat not only fresh, but also cook compotes, make sauces for meat or fish, desserts and more.
In winter, demand for them rises, store shelves are full of citrus fruits to sell them faster, sellers may incorrectly indicate the variety, as well as the country from which they were imported. It is possible to determine that fruits are ripe, juicy and tasty by several signs. Let's figure it out together. If you have something to add to the article, write in the comments.
The smell of tangerines is the aroma of childhood and the New Year. I remember only juicy, sweet fruits that were well peeled, and the seeds, if they came across, were very rare. Now among the many varieties, hybrids (mixture with other citrus fruits), imported from different countries, it is not easy to find those very "New Year's" ones. Bones come across in any variety, in some less often, and in others more often. Which fruits from the modern assortment contain more sugar and practically no seeds:
- Moroccan - the pulp is juicy, the peel is reddish-orange, thin, easily separated, the fruits have a characteristic dent in the middle (at the top).
- South African - bright orange, juicy, tasty and very fragrant.
- Israeli - appear on the shelves in the middle of winter, the flesh is sometimes dryish.
Spanish tangerines are very juicy, rich reddish yellow, sweet, but most often with seeds. Turkish sour, in some varieties there are few seeds, the peel is poorly removed.
You should not choose fruits only for their appearance, for example, large, bright orange ones can be sour, while small ones with a greenish or pale skin can be sweet. In early varieties, there are most often no seeds, and in those that appear on store shelves at the end of winter there are a lot, but even in this case you cannot rely only on the ripening period. For those who want to choose tangerines with a stone, but to make them juicy and sweet, you should try Clementine.
We buy juicy tangerines for the New Year
By the appearance of the fruit, the amount of juice in it cannot be determined, the most important sign of juiciness is a large mass. For comparison, you can take fruits of the same size different varieties, the heaviest and will be the most juicy.
Light tangerines are most often dry, hard, their taste is insipid, the aroma is almost absent. Dryness does not always indicate that the product has been stale on the counter or at home; this may be a varietal feature.
Experienced housewives advise focusing not only on the mass, but also on the structure of the pulp. It should be dense, resilient, but not hard, while the peel may be loose, soft, porous or loose. Among modern varieties and hybrids, the most juicy can be called Densi, Clementine, Unshiu and Shiva-Mikan. A lot of juice in fruits from Abkhazia. Dry most often the fruits of Murcott. If the rules of implementation and storage are not followed, juiciness is lost very quickly.
Rospotrebnadzor advice on choosing fruits without nitrates
A special research project on the health safety and quality of tangerines consisted of just over 400 indicators, experts checked for the presence of pesticides, diseases, nitrates and other harmful substances in citrus fruits. From the results of the research it turned out that in foreign and local (grown in greenhouses) tangerines there are no genetically modified organisms, heavy metals and radionuclides.
Citrus fruits grow on a tree, so they do not accumulate harmful substances in the quantities in which they are collected in the ground.
In tangerines, the dose of nitrates should not exceed 60 units; in none of the tested specimens, the norm was violated. In the course of research, it turned out that fruits brought from Morocco, China and South Africa contain from 43 to 32 units, while Turkish and Croatian ones have only 10–8. The leaders were citrus fruits from Serbia, they did not contain nitrates at all.
Despite the fact that the fruits turned out to be completely safe, experts from Roskachestvo advise:
- do not buy citrus fruits in unidentified, as well as unequipped (racks, a signboard, overalls from the seller) places of trade, especially those located along the roads;
- ask the seller for documents confirming the safety and quality of products;
- acquire ripe fruits without damage, plaque on the peel and without signs of decay.
All the studied samples, except for the Abkhaz ones, turned out to be covered with wax. However, this type of processing is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and can be used to preserve appearance, prevention of spoilage and decay during transportation, sale and storage. Before eating, tangerines should be washed with warm or hot water; children should not be allowed to brush fruits with their teeth.
We choose ripe tangerines in the market and in the store
Walking along the rows with vegetables and fruits, you can see that some sellers cut or peel the fruits so that the buyer can taste them, find out if they are ripe or not. The main thing is not to fall for the trick - when the most the best fruits from the general mass, where there are many spoiled and green ones.
Signs of maturity of tangerines:
- the skin easily moves away from the pulp, if you press it down a little, you can feel a small “air layer”;
- when you press a ripe fruit with a fingernail, juice should splash from the peel.
If you collect memos and all sorts of helpful tips, you can save a picture with brief information about how to choose fruits.
The color of the skin is a varietal feature by which it is impossible to determine the degree of maturity of tangerines. For example, yellow-greens can be completely sweet, tasty and juicy, while uniform oranges can be underripe and overly sour. Fruits with a peel that has strongly detached from the pulp are usually overripe, inside they can be spoiled. However, a wrinkled-looking peel can be a varietal trait.
What are the varieties
Many varieties and hybrids of mandarins from different countries are imported to Russia, the taste and aroma of fruits, as well as the consistency of the pulp, are different, the number of seeds in them is also different. Everyone has individual preferences, but sweet pitted citrus fruits are snapping up faster. But how to choose just such fruits in a store or on the market, the answer is simple - find out their variety. 
In the table we describe the most common varieties in Russia.
| Name | Description |
| Dancy | The fruits are flattened, rarely pear-shaped. The skin is thin, hard, shiny, orange-red. The pulp is tender with a barely perceptible sourness and rich aroma, few seeds |
| Clementine | The fruits are flattened, yellow-orange, sweet, juicy with a pleasant aroma. There are many seeds, the peel is finely porous |
| Murcott | Orange, rarely with a greenish spot, not large, flattened at the poles, sweet, sometimes dryish. The partitions are rigid, there are a lot of bones. The peel is thin and smooth, tightly attached to the pulp |
| Mineola | The taste is sweetish-sour, pleasant, rich aroma. The skin is bright orange, smooth with almost imperceptible pores. The fruits are slightly elongated, pear-shaped. Few bones |
| Nadorcott | Spherical, slightly flattened, sweet. The skin is smooth, red-orange. There are no pits, there are peelings in the place where the cutting is attached |
| pixie | Rounded with barely noticeable irregularities, orange, without acid and pits with tender flesh. The peel is porous |
| Satsuma | Flattened from the poles, rounded, orange, medium-sized (up to 30 g), sweet and sour, juicy, almost pitted. The skin is loose, bumpy, very thin |
| Tangelo | The fruits are large, red-orange, pear-shaped with a slight sourness, similar to oranges, few seeds |
| Tangerine | Bright orange, medium-sized (60–80 g), flat-round, slightly elongated fruits with sour-sweet, juicy flesh. The peel is thin, easily separated, many seeds |
| Unshiu | Abkhazian, sweet variety. Plump, spherical tangerines 70-100 g each, flattened at the base, the surface is slightly bumpy. The peel is light orange, no seeds |
| Shiva Mikan | Flattened, medium-sized fruits with a bright yellow skin, juicy, sweet-sour pulp, few seeds |
| Encore | Sweet, but ugly looking. There are dark spots on the peel that are easy to confuse with rot. Few bones |
The number of seeds in Nadorcott tangerines depends on the growing conditions. From strong pollination, there can be a lot of them.
Abkhazian tangerines have been and remain in demand. Unscrupulous sellers are deceiving, the sign "Abkhazia" can be found on stalls with other species, most often with Clementines. Fruits brought from Abkhazia can be distinguished from others on their own. They are light orange, most often inconspicuous in appearance, appear on the shelves from the beginning of December, they have a matte skin and a very rich aroma. Clementine is brighter, rounder, sweeter and juicier, but smaller (about 6 cm in diameter).
Chinese and Turkish tangerines are passed off as Abkhaz. The first thing you need to pay attention to is the label, it may contain hieroglyphs or letters characteristic of the Turkish alphabet, but what prevents the seller from removing the stickers. Another striking feature is that Chinese and Turkish fruits are the same in size, spherical, while on the shelf with Abkhaz fruits, the mass and shape of the fruits are different. Foreign mandarins have thin skins, Chinese ones are yellow-green, and Turkish ones are yellow to light orange. 
Moroccan tangerines are also in demand, sometimes they are even called "royal". To distinguish them from others, you need to compare prices, fruits with a black, rhombic Maroc sticker (from Morocco) are usually the most expensive. Their peel is red-orange, very bright. The shape of the tangerine is rounded with a small but clearly visible dent. Bones in them do not come across at all.
How to store tangerines until the New Year holidays
If there is no desire or opportunity to run around the shops in search of the right variety of tangerines right before the holiday, you can buy them in advance. However, these fruits are not subject to long storage, especially if they are fully ripe.
At room temperature, the fruits will lie for no more than a week, and next to heating appliances - about 3 days. Under what conditions can tangerines be stored for up to 15-30 days:
- temperature – from +4 to +8°C;
- humidity - about 80%.
Citrus fruits bought on a twig or with leaves will lie longer. Greens should be fresh, not wilted, and especially not dry.
You won’t be able to save a lot of fruit in the refrigerator (in vegetable boxes), they can be taken to a glazed balcony, loggia, vestibule, basement or dark closet, the main thing is that the necessary microclimate is maintained in the room. You can not store tangerines in plastic bags for a long time and fold them in several layers. It is better to spread the fruits in wooden, cardboard or plastic boxes in one layer and put one container on top of another.
Before storing, you need to carefully examine each fruit. It is necessary to remove from the total mass all soft, dried, hard, damaged specimens, as well as shapeless and “chubby” ones with a peel that is far behind the pulp. Experienced housewives advise rubbing the fruits with vegetable oil (with a cotton swab until they shine evenly), then they will lie a little longer. Clementines are considered the most storable, but Abkhazian tangerines are poorly stored.
And in conclusion, I would like to invite you to watch my favorite program, "Food alive and dead." Topic - Are all tangerines that they are called. And as always choose sweet ripe fruits.
To put sweet, juicy, tasty and fragrant tangerines under the Christmas tree, you need to learn to distinguish between varieties and varieties. When buying, it is better to refuse fruits with a white or sticky coating on the skin, this is a sign that the fruits have been treated with ethylene, which causes problems with the liver and kidneys. If all tangerines seem the same, you can buy one from each shelf, try, compare and choose the best one for you.
Mandarin is one of the tropical fruits most loved by our compatriots, which is also popular because such a product is very affordable - fortunately, it is grown in many neighboring countries. However, apart from describing the color and taste, our people do not know much about this fruit, and this situation should be corrected.
Homeland of the fruit
Erudite people are likely to remember that the main dialect of the Chinese language is called Mandarin, but their assumption is incorrect - modern scientists believe that the original homeland of mandarins is India. This fruit came to China two thousand years ago - it was his first "travel abroad".
In those days, only the emperor personally could afford such imports, and only a few centuries later, with the establishment of stable trade relations, even high-ranking officials could indulge themselves with this delicacy, who were nicknamed tangerines for this, and the language they spoke and the emperor himself - Mandarin. Although the climate of China allows, this wonderful fruit became publicly available here only in the Middle Ages.
The popularization of tangerines in China coincided with a sharp increase in travelers around the world, so this country opened this wonderful fruit to the world. From here, tangerines were brought not only to neighboring Japan, but also to Europe, where they came in the form of single copies around the Middle Ages through the mediation of Arab and Turkish merchants, as well as the Crusaders.
The fruit was to the taste of all the peoples who tried it, and even turned out to be relatively resistant to cold, therefore, without any selection, it took root in the relatively cold countries of the Mediterranean.
The word "greenhouse", by the way, is of French origin and means a garden for oranges, that is, oranges, but in the cool France of the Middle Ages, tangerines would rather take root - then they most likely did not see much difference.
If we talk about the post-Soviet space, then tangerines got here through the territories that previously belonged to Ottoman Turkey, and then ceded to the Russian Empire - we are talking about Georgia. From there, they eventually spread to all of Transcaucasia and even ended up on the southern coast of Crimea.
Today, this fruit, perhaps, will not be called a curiosity in any region of the world. Even in northern countries, many grow this low (from one and a half meters) tree right in the apartment as a decoration with delicious bonuses.
Where do they grow and when do they ripen?
Nowadays, tangerines grow almost anywhere - it's easier to name a country in which they are not. Interestingly, this plant has not been preserved in the wild, so the culture can only be domesticated. In private households, tangerines traditionally ripen in a season that is completely atypical for our region - from November to January. But selection and active care has led to the fact that today these fruits ripen almost all year round. You can eat them fresh even in May, even in October, even in February.
Tens of millions of tons of this tasty and healthy fruit are grown annually in the world. The undisputed leader in terms of production is China, where it comes from. In 2016, 17.3 million tons of such citrus fruits were grown, while in the ongoing second Spain, their production lags far behind - they were harvested "only" 2.94 million tons. But the five countries that exceeded the harvest of one million tons in 2016, except for China, are supplemented exclusively by the countries of the Mediterranean region - this also includes Turkey (1.34 million tons), Morocco (1.08 million tons) and Egypt (1.02 million tons). ).
If we talk about the world as a whole, then in fact such fruits are massively grown in any tropical country. Moreover, they are absolutely everywhere, but in the north their number is simply not counted - the value is too small. At the same time, in each region there are local leaders who, perhaps, do not export their crops, but at least provide them for themselves. Such leaders, in addition to those mentioned above, include the following:
- in South America - Brazil, Argentina and Peru;
- in Asia - Japan, Iran, South Korea, Pakistan, Thailand and Nepal;
- in Europe - Italy;
- in North America, the USA and Mexico;
- in Africa, Algeria.
In Russia, as in most other post-Soviet countries, it is rather bad with local tangerines - they grow here more in theory than in practice, and such a number does not even fall into the UN statistics. If you still want to taste Russian mandarin, the easiest way to do this is in the vicinity of Sochi - this culture is highly valued there. As for the counters, they get tangerines from other countries, for example, from the top five world producers.
Many domestic stores offer relatively inexpensive Georgian tangerines due to good logistics (international statistics also include those grown in unrecognized Abkhazia) - 60 thousand tons of them were grown in 2016, but this is enough for export to almost all post-Soviet space. Of the other countries in the region, only Azerbaijan (39 thousand tons) and Uzbekistan (1.6 thousand tons) can boast of relatively significant production.
Properties and taste
The taste of mandarin is familiar to everyone - this pleasant citrus has a pronounced sweet notes that an orange does not have. It should be noted that there are two separate varieties of this fruit, very popular in the world - tangerine and clementine. Tangerine, named after the Moroccan city of Tangier, is actually grown primarily in China, where it is considered even more common than its "standard" counterpart.
Such a fruit, according to the description, does not differ from an ordinary mandarin in anything, except for a more red color. Clementine is often called Moroccan mandarin in our country, and it really comes mainly from this country, but it is distinguished by increased sweetness and lack of seeds with somewhat complicated cleaning.
Mandarin is one of those delicacies that you should not deny yourself, although excessive consumption, of course, will only do harm. With its taste and smell alone, such a fruit can significantly cheer you up, but its benefits do not end there - it contains a lot useful substances, among which relatively rare ones are especially valuable.
These, for example, include choline - it can be obtained either from tangerines or from egg yolk and there are no other publicly available sources. This substance is absolutely indispensable during pregnancy, because scientists have proven that its deficiency can more than double the risk of birth defects. It is not surprising, because choline takes an active part in the development of the brain, and even neutralizes some of the unpleasant consequences of diseases of the cardiovascular system, including inflammatory processes.
Two more substances - lutein and zeaxanthin - work in pairs in order to increase vision. They are generally responsible for the good sensitivity of the nerve endings in the eyes, but, in addition, they also protect the visual apparatus from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Contrary to popular belief, the main dose of light in the blue part of the spectrum, which is ultraviolet, we receive not from space, even in view of the growing ozone holes, but precisely because of the active use of computers and other similar equipment.
Almost the only available alternative for tangerines as a source of lutein in this case is egg yolk.
If we talk about vitamins, then most of all there are B vitamins that support absolutely all body systems, as well as C, the famous ascorbic acid, which is so necessary to strengthen the immune system. It is impossible not to note the presence of vitamin K, without which the vascular walls would not be so elastic. Tangerines also contain a complex of trace elements, including calcium and iron, magnesium and sodium, phosphorus and potassium.
If we talk about the complex of beneficial effects of tangerines on the human body, then one cannot fail to note their extremely positive effect in improving appetite, as well as accelerating metabolism and removing toxins from the body. As it should be for citrus, and even ripening in winter, tangerine is an incredibly effective remedy for vitamin deficiency characteristic of this, and with regular use it can become a worthy prevention of various colds.
Recently, theories have also been studied, according to which the juice of this fruit can prevent the development of certain skin diseases.
What is the difference and how to choose?
The extremely extensive area of \u200b\u200bgrowth of tangerines a priori implies certain differences between regional options, so you can get an idea of the fruit already because where it grew. There is a certain risk of running into a discrepancy with expectations, but usually it is small, so it is worth considering reasonable stereotypes.
- From Turkey bring the cheapest fruits - this is possible due to large volumes of deliveries. To be honest, it’s not worth asking for a high price for such a product, because the Turks clearly put on quantity, not quality. Their fruits are distinguished by a sour taste, the presence of several seeds in each instance, and a firmly “adhered” skin.
- Abkhaz or in general Georgian tangerines it is not difficult to meet - it is this region that supplies the main volume of this product to our country. Such a product can be attributed to goods of medium quality - there are still a lot of seeds, but the taste is already less sour, and the peel is removed much easier than that of Turkish competitors. You can also distinguish such a fruit by an unusually yellow skin.
- Moroccan clementines are not tangerines in the full sense - it is rather their hybrid with one of the varieties of orange. The product is distinguished by a rich orange color of dark shades, the peel is removed very easily, and there are no stones or any significant acidity in the pulp.
- Spanish tangerines- this is an elite product, you can meet it infrequently, and you will have to pay quite a lot. Such a fruit is not devoid of several seeds, but it is extremely easy to clean, and most importantly, it has an atypical, extremely sweet taste without any hint of sourness.
- Chinese tangerines for most of our fellow citizens are exotic, but in areas directly bordering China, it is not so difficult to get such a fruit. Its shape is unusual - it looks more like a pumpkin. There are few seeds here, and the taste can be described as sweet and sour.
As for freshness, here the choice is extremely simple - it is clearly noticeable by tangerines if they are spoiled. good fruit should have a smooth skin without any dents or mold, not to mention rot spots. A truly ripe fruit is bound to have a high juice content. It is enough to squeeze it a little in your hand so that it sprinkles with fragrant liquid. At the same time, a certain discount must also be made for the season. For example, at the height of winter, sweet Israeli tangerines are often brought to us, which, even when ripe, are not particularly splashed with juice due to the fact that they are, in principle, a bit dry.
For information on how to grow a tangerine at home, see the following video.
Place
Have you all seen the sticker "Morocco" on tangerines? So, this means that they were collected in a sunny country with the same name. I also had a chance to visit this country a couple of years ago. Now I'll tell you how it looked.
Location of Morocco
The country is located in the northern part of the African continent. Algeria and Mauritania are located along its borders. From the western part, the country is washed by the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is here that the most magnificent beaches and stunning bays are located. The famous Sahara adjoins Morocco with its western part, although the locals do not recognize the border, since they consider the Sahara to be theirs own piece. The Strait of Gibraltar in the northern part of the country separates it from Spain. The capital of the country is the city of Rabat.
How to get to Morocco
Several airlines fly to Morocco. A liner flies from Sheremetyevo to Casablanca at least three times a week. There are charter flights that fly on the route Agadir - Moscow. These flights are regular from early spring to late autumn. If none of the options suits you, then you can choose a flight with a transfer in Europe. It will cost more. A visa to Morocco is not required for Russians.
The flight time is about 6 hours, but this is a direct flight.
But with currency, everything is not as simple as with a visa. The fact is that you can bring foreign money into the country, but you can’t use it. And it is forbidden to export local currency from Morocco. Paradoxically, but true. So try to exchange money at the airport so as not to run into penalties.
Transport system of Morocco
Here, with transport, everything is not so bad, as many say. The center and north of the country are united by good railways. Trains run between the main cities and in the suburbs.
The most popular transport in Morocco is the bus. Although there are many of them, there are always many more who want to. Therefore, even with tickets, you can stand for about an hour waiting for the long-awaited bus. By the way, the buses here are quite comfortable and even air-conditioned. True, they rarely go, the interval of movement is forty minutes.
You can also use the services of taxi drivers and quickly get to your desired destination. Here, too, you can save money if you go not alone, but wait for more passengers traveling in your direction.
Minibuses. They travel mainly between cities. Maximum capacity is six people. True, the drivers of these cars love to get drunk, so you will be provided with an extreme trip.
Country climate
The territory of Morocco is quite extensive, so the weather can fluctuate significantly from north to south. The climate is also influenced by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, which can be very capricious. The Mediterranean coast is characterized by hot summers and quite mild winters. subtropical belt. The air temperature in summer reaches 35-36 degrees, and in winter it does not fall below 15-20 degrees. The average water temperature is 18-22 degrees.
In the mountains, of course, it is cold almost always. In winter it can be up to minus 15, and in summer it does not rise above plus 16 degrees.
Basically, the sun shines every day on the territory of the country, and at least eight hours a day.
History of Morocco
Judging by archaeological excavations, the first people chose the Atlantic coast almost eight hundred thousand years ago BC. For these lands there were constant battles. Morocco originally belonged to Rome, then the power was seized by the German tribes - the Vandals, then they were defeated by the Byzantine troops. At a time when Morocco belonged to the Byzantine Empire, Arabs entered its territory and subjugated the country to themselves. It happened in the distant year 682. This period is considered the period of Islamization of the country.
Muslims subjugated almost the entire country, despite the fact that uprisings periodically broke out here against the forcible imposition of the Islamic religion. Riots were quickly suppressed, and the recalcitrant were executed.
Over time, Morocco became the largest Islamic state.
Over the centuries, the country's sultanate has changed, but each of the sultans left his undeniable contribution to the development of the state. After the death of the last Sultan Muhammad III, a political crisis began in the country. There were internecine wars and bloody conflicts. Looking at what is happening, Europe quickly fussed. France subjugated almost all of Morocco, leaving only a small piece of the pie for Spain. Morocco was a French colony until 1954. A few years earlier, such violent riots broke out here that both European countries recognized the independence of Morocco and no longer climbed into the conflict zone.
Currently, millions of tourists travel to Morocco to see the wild mountains, the endless Sahara and snow-white Casablanca with their own eyes.
The main tourist city of the country is Marrakesh.
Coming here people get acquainted with the so-called Arab Africa.
My trip to Marrakech
This time I traveled on my own again. Personally, in this way I like to get acquainted with the country, its way of life and its inhabitants. There is no binding to the hotel, guide and groups. All by myself. And it's cool.
Near the airport there are bus stops with regular buses to the city center. The ticket price is about $ 2, but this is for tourists, and half the price for locals.
The first thing that caught my eye when entering Marrakesh was that almost all the buildings here are red and red. Even the walls and some earth. Unusual right? But this is no accident. The houses are so painted because they are here all year round the bright sun is shining and any other color of buildings, for example, yellow or white, will cut the eye very much.
By the way, about clothes. In Morocco, you shouldn't display part of a calving. This is not appropriate. It is better to wear jeans and a tunic. Most of the local women here wear black overalls.
The city itself looks very authentic, as if it froze in the Middle Ages. There are no advertisements along the city streets, few people talk on their cell phones. Camels and donkeys roam freely in the suburbs. Probably the same city was a few centuries ago.
Marrakech has another unspoken name - the Pearl of North Africa. And I agree with this name, as the city architecture is very beautiful and unusual.
First of all, I went to the old part of the city - Medina.
Medina
The entire territory is surrounded by a huge red wall, similar to a sieve. That is, in the walls there are such significant holes as viewing windows, it is not clear why they were drilled.
Arch entrance. All the houses are white, but with some peeling paint. Medina is also called the city of snow-white houses.
Being in Medina, you immediately understand that life is completely different here. Great amount people, everyone is running somewhere, walking, making noise, making noise. Everything is very similar to a giant anthill with a labyrinth of streets.
The whole Medina is just an incredibly large market where you can buy absolutely everything. From food to animals. I'm not even talking about carpets, clothes, souvenirs, jewelry and other junk.
While here, do not forget to purchase spices. Medina is famous for very high quality spices at a reasonable price.
Marrakesh Hotels
Moroccan cuisine
The kitchen is quite specific. In cooking, meat, vegetables, fruits and spices are actively used. Moreover, sometimes there are much more spices in dishes than meat or another ingredient.
Couscous and Tajine are considered the main dishes in Morocco. Kus-Kus is something like our pilaf, and tagine is lamb stewed with vegetables.
The national drink is tea with the addition of fresh mint. Very refreshing in the heat.
There are many restaurants in Morocco, although most of the best are located on the coast. There. Where most tourists go.
But directly in Marrakech, too, there is where to go. Here are a few of the good ones I've been to.
1. Gastro MK at Maison MK. Pleasant atmosphere and cozy interior, with a claim to luxury. Good service. The food is local but good. Everything is delicious. I especially liked the presentation of the food.
2. Libzar. Moroccan cuisine. The interior is average but the staff is great. Service at a decent level. I recommend to try the local Tagine. Here the chef cooks it just fine. The wine list is very limited, but there is a choice.
What to do in Marrakesh
You can go to the main square. But here, too, a continuous bazaar. Although earlier criminals were executed on this square, and their severed heads were hung out for everyone else to see. In this way, local authorities strengthened respect for the laws among their people.
By the way, be sure to try Orange fresh. Which is cooked in local tents. Believe me, it is very tasty, and oranges grow right at hand.
1. Visit to the hamam.
Actually, this is a Turkish bath, but in Morocco they are also very good. Hamams here are divided into two types: for tourists and for locals. It is better to go to the tourist one, even if it is more expensive, but it is much cleaner and there are disposable bathing accessories. Also here you will be washed and massaged by professional bath attendants.
2. Shopping.
You can walk around the market in the Medina or the city square of Marrakesh. Many souvenirs are sold here. You can also buy a handmade carpet, good leather goods and pottery. Be sure to bargain in the markets, not even in order to bring down the price, but it’s just the way it is here. Bargaining with a local vendor is a lot of fun.
There are also enough shops in the capital, but keep in mind that they work according to their own schedule. And yes, the prices are much higher. Than in the markets, although the product is identical.
3. From Marrakech you can go to the mountains.
The most popular among tourists is a trip to the fortress of Teluet. The place is notable for its wrought-iron gates, which open with a huge key, about a meter long. At the same time, see the beautiful Tizi n'Tishka mountain pass.
4. If you wish, you can visit the Ukameden resort. There are wonderful waterfalls here. Insanely beautiful place. And the guide will take you through the stalactite caves, where there is also something to see and take gorgeous photos. True, the guides sometimes start to push the group, referring to the fact that several more groups are waiting for him. It's not true, he's just asking for some money.
5. Tombs of the Saadian dynasty.
Getting here is problematic and you need to defend a sickly queue. But it will not be in vain, you can see the magnificent decoration of the rooms, gilding, mosaics. It just needs to be seen, because the description is simply endless.
6. Toubkal and Tazzeka. These are national parks. True, I did not have the honor to visit them, but next time I will definitely come.
Morocco is an incredible mixture of nationalities, nature, weather and so much more that from a distance looks like a vinaigrette. The unusualness of the country and the city lies in the fact that sometimes behind unremarkable doors in a gloomy-looking building, true treasures can be hidden. Wealth here is not customary to put on display. And so take a look at the guidebook and discover this city for yourself. You need to devote more than one day to Morocco, so you can fully feel the spirit of this city. Unfortunately, I did not touch on the wonderful resorts of Morocco, for example, Casablanca. It just deserves a separate discussion. You can talk a lot about Casablanca and never repeat it. She, like an oriental beauty, attracts many, but not everyone shows her true face.
Tangerines have been grown in India for thousands of years. In ancient China, they appreciated the beneficial properties and adopted the experience of growing this amazing plant. And today China is the world's main exporter of these fruits.
Many varieties of mandarins migrated from their homeland - Indochina - to Japan and Korea, gained popularity on the Mediterranean coast, in the southern states of North America and Latin America, Israel, Turkey, Abkhazia and other countries. A favorable region for growing in our country is the Sochi region of the Black Sea coast.
Types of tangerines and where they grow
- the same fruit that for a long time was not subject to any classification. In the middle of the last century, the Soviet scientist-breeder V.P. Alekseev defined seven main groups, highlighting the following types of tangerines:
- Satsuma or "Unshiu" is a species that grows well in Georgia, Abkhazia, in the Krasnodar Territory and on the Crimean Peninsula in the Russian Federation. The plant is resistant to temperate climates, able to bear fully ripened fruits with insufficient sunlight. Unshiu is often grown at home as a houseplant, which bears fruit just as actively as on open ground. This is facilitated by the low growth of the tree, which will not exceed 1.5 meters in a limited space. In open ground, the tree reaches a height of 3 meters, which is also small compared to other varieties. The plant bears its first fruits at the age of 3 years. Abundant and fragrant flowering occurs in May. Unshiu fruits are flattened, covered with a thin light orange peel with a hint of greenery, which is easy to peel to get to the tender and sweet citrus pulp. The average weight of one fruit is approximately 70 g. The species compares favorably in that the fruits do not contain seeds. Reproduction occurs by grafting to other trees, thanks to which varieties such as Pioneer 80 and Sochi 23 have appeared with excellent cold resistance and yield.
- Austere - refers to citruses of Chinese origin. Perhaps this is one of the sweetest types of citrus, a distinctive feature of which can be called a bright orange with a hint of red skin.
- A well-known representative of this species is the tangerine variety (Tangerina), which grows in the USA, as well as in Italy and on the island of Sicily. Unlike Unshiu, tangerines are covered with a denser skin, but also do not contain stones. The ripe and tasty tangerines are harvested from October to April. The peel is easily peeled, and the pulp of the fruit is divided into juicy slices.
- Deliciosa is a species belonging to the Chinese-Mediterranean group of citrus fruits. The most popular variety is the willowy mandarin, a tree with a compact crown of narrow and long leaves. Fruits of a flattened shape, orange, medium size, 6-7 cm in diameter, sweet and sour in taste.
- Reticulata is a species commonly grown in China and India. Industrial export is the ponkan variety - a large "golden-fruited" mandarin, of an original pear-shaped shape with a "navel". The fruits are easily peeled from the medium-thick peel, under which the juicy, tender, sour-sweet-tasting pulp is hidden. With bones. The crop is harvested from December to the end of January, fortunately, the climate of the countries where the ponkan variety is grown allows this. In addition to India and China, this citrus grows in Latin and South America, Taiwan and the Philippines.
- Type of royal tangerines Nobilis ("Noble") - historically refers to the Indochinese and Malay groups. The fruits are one of the largest with an inherent characteristic feature - a bumpy and thick peel, under which lies a juicy and sweet pulp with excellent aroma and aftertaste. Recognized all over the world the best varieties The "royal" species are considered: King (King of Siam), Tsao-tse, Uvatin-mikan.
- Small-fruited species suitable for growing at home - Sino-Japanese varietal group. Favorite varieties are sweet Mukaku-kishiu and Kishiu, and sour Shiva-mikan feel great indoors, bringing a tropical touch to the interior, actively bloom and bear fruit.
- Hybrid species are varieties bred during breeding experiments on various citrus plants. Thus, it was possible to obtain fruits of bright colors, with unique palatability, various sizes and shapes:
- Calamondin - mandarin + fortunella;
- Rangpur - mandarin orange +;
- -mandarin + orange-kinglet; (Corsican, Montreal and Spanish);
- Tangelo - tangerine + (or);
- Thornton - a kind of tangelo;
- - American variety Dancy + Duncan grapefruit;
- Tangor - tangerine + sweet orange;
- Mandora - mandarin orange + sweet orange;
- Ellendale - mandarin + tangerine +;
- Citrandarine - mandarin + poncirus;
- Santina - clementine + orlando;
- Ugli ("freak" English) - tangerine + orange + grapefruit;
- Ichandarin - mandarin + Ichang papeda;
- Orangequat - mandarin unshiu +;
- Pomeranian - mandarin orange + pomelo;
- Meyer lemon - + mandarin (or orange);
- Kabosu - papeda + orange.
As a result of experiments in modern citrus breeding, a unique Baby variety has appeared, as the name implies - these are mini tangerines, China. The fruits are so small that they literally melt in your mouth. The light skin of the Baby variety speaks of origin from Chinese satsuma, dark orange - from tangerine. Baby tangerines are extremely sweet and fragrant. The only drawback is that they have to be cleaned too often, as one little thing is enough for “one tooth”.
When do tangerines ripen?
The ripeness of fruits is directly related to where they come from. Harvested from late October to February, depending on the area, growing conditions and characteristics of the variety.
China has long been recognized as a leader in the cultivation of citrus fruits, exporting to the world market 10 times more than, for example, the second country in terms of growing "orange" fruits - Spain. Due to the favorable climate, citrus trees bear fruit from early November to late January. While in Abkhazia and Sochi they have time to ripen only in December.
In general, the picture is such that the industrial volume of the tangerine harvest falls on December. Therefore, the fruit is traditionally considered New Year's, as all producers try to sell most of the harvest before the New Year holidays.
How to choose Abkhazian tangerines
Abkhazian tangerines, with a taste familiar from childhood to all immigrants from the USSR, are a traditional tasty decoration for everyone New Year's table in our country and not only for many decades in a row. Cold-resistant varieties were specially obtained from Japanese satsums for cultivation in a special climatic zone - in Abkhazia, and are used to this day.
In view of the fact that there is an abundance of fruits of various varieties from many countries on the market, many people have a question: how to distinguish Abkhazian tangerines, for example, from Chinese ones? The first difference lies in the medium-early ripening of the fruit. At the end of November, the "orange" plantations in Abkhazia are covered with small "suns", and the harvest ripens by mid-December. The second difference is the matte skin. No gloss. The third difference is a delicate and pleasant aroma from the crust, which you feel when holding the fruit in your hands, an invigorating taste of juicy pulp with a caramel flavor and sourness in the aftertaste. Depending on the variety, the Abkhazian harvest is mostly seedless, although there are fruits with them.
Moroccan tangerines
Tangerines from Morocco are one of the most popular and affordable fruits in Russia in winter. Bright orange "balls" with a traditional black diamond sticker can be found in every outlet. The peel is easy to peel, and the flesh is juicy and sweet, with few seeds.
How to choose Spanish tangerines
Spanish tangerines are bright orange fruits of medium size. Most often, on the shelves there are branches with ripe fruits or single fruits with leaves. The peel is large-pored, easy to peel, the pulp is sweet. Seeds are found in almost every lobule, but there are seedless hybrid varieties.
Chinese tangerines
Given the fact that China is main exporter"orange" fruit in the world, most of the batches of this product on our shelves were brought from there. Chinese tangerines are passed off as Abkhazian, as some varieties have an identical thin matte skin that is easy to peel, and the flesh, although sweet in taste, but without a characteristic aroma. Greenish tangerines from China are laid out on store shelves with leaves or on twigs. It is a mistake to assume that in this way they last longer. Ripe citruses are a perishable product.
Turkish tangerines
They differ from their "brothers" in low price, lack of seeds and slightly sour taste. They are characterized by a yellowish hue of the peel, which is easily peeled. Many people love them for their lack of bones.
How to choose delicious tangerines
Sometimes it seems that buying fruits is a lottery: if they turn out to be sweet - lucky, sour - well, who doesn’t happen to them ... To choose really ripe and sweet tangerines, you need to answer the question: which tangerines are the most delicious? It is enough to have a general idea about the varieties and importing countries in order not to make a mistake with the choice:
- Large and flattened fruits usually have a sour taste;
- Medium-sized citruses with bright orange or yellowish skins are sweet;
- It is believed that tasty fruits weigh heavier than sour ones. In addition, light-weight citruses lack liquid, many seeds and hard fiber.
Delicious means ripe. When choosing an orange fruit in a store, you should pay attention to:
- The skin, which should be smooth without dents and dark spots. Too loose or, conversely, dry peel indicates a low quality product;
- The absence of mold, otherwise such a product will not only not be tasty, but will also be harmful to health.
How to choose sweet and pitted tangerines
When we talk about pitted tangerines, of course, we are talking about the Pixie variety. These are bright orange fruits with a large porous skin that is easy to peel. No other variety can boast such a delicate honey sweetness of the pulp with a pleasant caramel aftertaste. Another advantage of the Pixie variety is the absence of seeds. The fruits ripen at the end of winter and remain on the trees for six months.
But, as a rule, information about varieties is not indicated on the fruit counters of shops and markets. Therefore, we are guided by knowledge about importing countries. If you fundamentally want to buy seedless fruits, then by all means choose a crop from Abkhazia, Turkey, however, there is a high probability that they will turn out to be sour, or from Israel - beautiful, with a shiny crust, but not juicy, even fruits that are dryish in taste.
