Dandy Mandy Mandarins
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Dandy Mandy mandarins are a small to medium-sized varietal, averaging 6 to 8 centimeters in diameter and around 150 grams in weight. The fruits have a round to oblate, slightly flattened shape with curved edges and a subtle depression on the bottom. The skin is semi-thin, smooth, glossy, and taut, covered in prominent sunken oil glands, creating a pebbled appearance. The skin also showcases red-orange hues and is easy to peel. Underneath the surface, thin membranes divide the dark orange flesh into 11 to 13 segments and have a crisp, aqueous, and succulent consistency. The flesh is also notably seedless but may occasionally contain one small cream-colored seed. Dandy Mandy mandarins reach around 11 degrees Brix, a unit of measurement for their sugar content. This sugar, combined with moderate acidity, creates a sweet, refreshing, tangy, fruity, and subtly sour taste.
Seasons/Availability
Dandy Mandy mandarins are harvested in Australia from winter through spring and are available in commercial markets from June through September.
Current Facts
Dandy Mandy mandarins, botanically classified as Citrus reticulata, are an Australian variety belonging to the Rutaceae or Citrus family. The fruits grow on evergreen trees reaching 2.4 meters in height and are a mid to late-season variety valued for their mild flavor, seedless flesh, and easy-to-peel nature. The name Dandy Mandy mandarin is the brand name for the Ruby GS varietal, a cultivar created in the late 20th century. Dandy Mandy mandarins are an exclusive variety of the Mildura Fruit Company and were chosen as a commercial fruit for their extended shelf life and ability to fill a gap within the mandarin market in Australia and Asia. Consumers favor Dandy Mandy mandarins for their mild, refreshing, sweet, and tangy taste and are primarily purchased for fresh eating.
Nutritional Value
Dandy Mandy mandarins have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Mandarins, in general, are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, and potassium to balance the fluid levels within the body. Mandarins also provide iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, magnesium to control nerve functions, calcium and phosphorus to support bones and teeth, and other nutrients, including copper and folate. The fruit’s flesh is filled with various antioxidants to guard the cells against the damage caused by free radicals and help reduce inflammation within the body.
Applications
Dandy Mandy mandarins have a sweet and tangy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is primarily consumed out of hand and is peeled into segments as a snack. Dandy Mandy mandarins are promoted as a travel-friendly fruit and can be added to salads or served on appetizer platters as finger food. The mandarins can also be chopped into salsa and slaws, mixed into grain bowls, or blended into sauces, dressings, and marinades. In Australia, mandarin juice is sometimes frozen into popsicles, sorbet, and ice cream. Dandy Mandy mandarins can also be used in almost any preparation, generally calling for mandarins. In addition to fresh dishes, Dandy Mandy mandarins are sometimes simmered into jams, jellies, marmalades, and other preserves. The fruit can be incorporated into cakes, coated in chocolate, or used to flavor custards and puddings. Mandarins are also cooked with sugar as a filling in various desserts and baked goods. Beyond sweet dishes, Dandy Mandy mandarins can be cooked into savory meat dishes or added to chutney. Dandy Mandy mandarins pair well with herbs such as parsley, mint, and cilantro, vanilla, chocolate, and other fruits, including strawberries, grapes, and bananas. Whole, unopened Dandy Mandy mandarins will keep for several days to weeks when loosely covered and stored in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Dandy Mandy mandarins are marketed under the Mildura Fruit Company’s Sassy Citrus line. The variety has curated branding created to distinguish the fruits in retail markets and attract consumer attention. Within the Sassy Citrus line, Dandy Mandy mandarins are branded with a cartoon, family-friendly magician character dressed in dapper attire to reach a universal audience. The magician is said to embody the fruit’s “magical” nature as an easy, healthy, and fast snack for adults and kids. The variety’s name was also chosen for the mandarins in honor of their favorable physical attributes. During development, it was said that the mandarins were praised for their coloring, smooth and glossy skin, and easy-to-peel nature. Dandy was selected for the variety, which refers to “exaggerated attention to personal appearance.” Dandy Mandy is a catchy name, and the rhyming moniker is thought to help consumers remember the variety in commercial markets.
Geography/History
Dandy Mandy mandarins are native to Australia and were developed by the Mildura Fruit Company, one of Australia’s largest citrus packers, marketers, and exporters. According to the variety’s plant patent, Dandy Mandy mandarins were created from an induced limb mutation of Daisy mandarins in 1999, and the process was conducted in Dareton, a town in New South Wales. Later, in 2001, irradiated buds were placed onto seedling rootstocks and were planted in fields for further evaluation. During the trials, one limb on a tree was discovered to produce low-seeded fruits. This limb was cut from the tree and grafted onto rootstock to form a brand new tree in 2003. By 2006, additional budwood was taken from the new tree and grafted to expand cultivation, and in 2011, several trees were established. The new variety was eventually named Ruby GS and was commercially released in 2022. Today, Dandy Mandy mandarins are exclusively grown and marketed by Mildura Fruit Company. The variety is grown in Australia and is sold domestically in Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. Dandy Mandy mandarins are also exported to New Zealand and countries in Asia, including Vietnam, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong.
