May is with us and so those juicy, easy to peel, Imperial Mandarins are now ready to eat. Consumers love the fact that this mandarin has far fewer seeds than most mandarins. The biggest mistake our industry makes is wanting to be first in on this type of line and presenting consumers with a product that is not quite ready as has been happening in the last few weeks. This week they are ready! Mostly from the Gayndah district in central Queensland for this month and then from Southern orchards there probably isn’t a more popular and perfect product for school lunch boxes. None of the many other varieties of mandarins eat quite as well as an Imperial. Avoid really large fruit as these often have a tendency to be dry particularly a little later in the season.
HOW TO PICK
For a juicier imperial mandarin, pick fruit which feels heavy for its size, has glossy skin and is softer to touch. Avoid fruit that is rock hard and does not yield a little to pressure
HOW TO STORE
Store in a cool place for up to a week. If you would like to keep them longer, store in the fridge.
