Arrayana Tangerines

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Description/Taste

Arrayana tangerines are a larger variety, averaging 5 to 10 centimeters in diameter, and have a round to ovate, slightly flattened shape. The rind is smooth, shiny, semi-thin, and covered in small glands containing fragrant essential oils, giving the fruits an aromatic nature. The rind also remains primarily green when ripe, sometimes developing a variegated appearance with green and yellow hues. The flesh is easily peeled from the rind and is bright orange, juicy, and succulent, divided into 10 to 12 segments by thin, white membranes, encasing a few oblong cream-colored seeds. Arrayana tangerines are fruity and sweet with subtle, tangy undertones.

Seasons/Availability

Arrayana tangerines are available in the late fall through winter.

Current Facts

Arrayana tangerines, botanically classified as Citrus reticulata blanco, are a late-season variety belonging to the Rutaceae family. The aromatic fruits grow on dwarf, compact trees and are the main variety of tangerine commercially cultivated in Colombia. Arrayana tangerines are favored for their unusual, green rind when ripe, and the fruits are widely sold across Colombia for fresh consumption. The fruits are also known as Arrayana mandarins, as tangerines are a specific type of mandarin orange, and both names are often used interchangeably to describe the variety in fresh markets.

Nutritional Value

Arrayana tangerines are an excellent source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system and are a good source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract. The fruits also provide high amounts of vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning and contain lower amounts of folate, potassium, calcium, iron, and phosphorus.

Applications

Arrayana tangerines are best suited for fresh applications as their sweet-tart flavor is showcased when consumed straight, out-of-hand. The skin can be easily peeled from the flesh and eaten as a snack, segmented and tossed into green salads, or sliced and stirred into fruit salads, puddings, and jellies. Arrayana tangerines can also be juiced and used to flavor beverages, blended into smoothies, or incorporated into oil-based salad dressings. In addition to fresh preparations, the essential oils and juices of Arrayana tangerines can be extracted and used to flavor cakes, muffins, candies, or ice cream. The fruits can also be cooked into savory sauces to pour over roasted meats, simmered to make marmalade, or lightly charred and served as a sweet-smoky topping. Arrayana tangerines pair well with herbs such as rosemary, basil, mint, and cilantro, ginger, meats such as poultry, ham, prosciutto, and fish, dark chocolate, vanilla, Greek yogurt, and nuts such as walnuts, almond, and hazelnuts. Whole, unwashed Arrayana tangerines will keep 2 to 4 weeks when stored in a container or bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

In Colombia, the Festividades de la Naranja, or Orange Festival, is an annual event honoring the fruits as one of the most important crops produced within the country. The four-day festival is held in the early winter, traditionally when the tangerines are harvested in Colombia, and cities across the country have streets lined with informational booths, stages for live entertainment, and stalls for food vendors. During the event, vendors showcase Arrayana tangerines in appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, and festivities also include a fruit picking contest and a beauty pageant to crown the “Queen of The Orange Festival.” The celebration also emphasizes music and dance, featuring both professional performers and local artists to highlight the diverse talent found in Colombia.

Geography/History

Tangerines are native to Asia and have been cultivated since ancient times. The fruits were introduced into Europe and Africa through the silk road and were later spread to the New World through explorers and trade. After their introduction into South America, tangerines were naturalized and eventually grown for commercial purposes. Arrayana tangerines were first recorded in Colombia in the 1980s and were selectively bred for improved cultivation. The variety was added to the National Germplasm Bank of Citrus in 1983 and is one of Colombia's leading commercial tangerine varieties in the present day. Arrayana tangerines are primarily grown in the Colombian Llanos Orientales region and can be found through local markets, supermarkets, and farm stands.