Have you ever tasted kishu mandarins before? If not, you’re in for a real treat this season as they start to ripen and appearing at your local markets. David Karp calls them the mighty mandarin “the most delicious of mandarins”. They’re small, seedless, easy to peel and sweet. We call them citrus candy and you can’t just eat one. They’re so addicting, delicious and often hard to find. David describes them perfectly, ” Adorable and irresistible, the Seedless Kishu is one of the most delicious of mandarins, smaller than a golf ball but easy to peel, tender, juicy, fragrant and sweet. Until recently it was very difficult to find, even at farmers markets, but at least a dozen growers now have producing trees of these small wonders, and the fruits are becoming more readily available.

Kishu Mandarins being held by hands

The Seedless Kishu derives from an ancient group of small-fruited mandarin varieties that originated in China. A related seeded variety called Ruju was offered as tribute in 1060 under the Tang Dynasty, and in the Song Dynasty it was considered the best mandarin variety. Today the Nanfengmiju, derived from Ruju, is one of the most widely grown mandarins in China, particularly in Jianxi province, where it originated.” – David Karp.

With so many varieties of mandarins out there, these kishu mandarins definitely stand out because of not only their small size, but for their amazing flavor. Once you get your hands on these beauties, be ready to be obsessed and don’t be surprised if you devour at least 10 of them in one sitting. They’re that good.

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