Abkhazian mandarins: the harvest season. Abkhazian mandarins: reviews

What dish is very popular and always present on the New Year's table? The correct answer is mandarins. Now these delicious fruits are available to everyone and are sold in markets all year round. Morocco, Spain, Argentina and Sicily - the main suppliers to our table of these citrus fruits, which are associated with the sun, enhance our mood with their fragrance and orange color. In recent years, Abkhazian mandarins, which were imported from Turkey, have become widespread. About them, we now talk.

A bit of history: how tangerines appeared in Abkhazia

In fact, the historical homeland of these citrus fruits is India. Here they were grown a few thousand years ago. They received their current name in China, where they were brought. Available tangerines at the beginning of our era were only the emperor, after a hundred years - also the highest dignitaries. They were considered elite fruits and became ordinary, accessible to all only in the Middle Ages. After several crusades, in the sixteenth century, mandarins appeared in Europe. Their seeds were brought by knights, and in the houses of the rich began to appear greenhouses. Soon these fruits appeared in Spain, Greece, Turkey and Italy. It turned out that they are not too whimsical and quite normal get accustomed to another climate. Further, citrus fruits from China moved to Japan, from Spain - to neighboring Morocco. The Abkhazian mandarins, as already mentioned, came from Turkey.

The popularity of mandarins

Many remember that not so long ago, these fruits were a very scarce commodity, and often children could eat them only on New Year's holidays. Fortunately, those days are over, and now we buy them at the first desire. But the mandarins since then continue to associate us with childhood and Christmas holidays. They are very tasty and have many uses. Abkhazian mandarins are used in alcoholic beverages, from them they make fruit water, juices, cook jams, compotes, make sweets and marmalade. In the manufacture of medicines, infusions, syrups and extracts, mandarin peel is used as a substitute for orange peel.

Abkhazian mandarins, their properties and benefits

What is the most basic property of our citrus fruits? This is the ability to replenish vitamins lost during the autumn and winter seasons. To eat them is recommended together with a white mesh, as it is very useful for strengthening the cardiovascular system of a person. Juice, like the fruit itself, is a superb antidepressant and has an antimicrobial effect. A well-known feature is the high content of vitamin C. There are also mineral salts, pectins, vitamins B ₁ , B ₂ , D and K, essential oil, choline, lutein and zeaxanthin. Look at the Abkhazian mandarins. Photos of this fruit do not transmit a small part of their benefits, the effect of eating. But this is the topic of a separate article, so let us dwell on what has already been stated.

The advantages of Abkhazian mandarins over others

They are not in vain considered the most useful and tasty. In stores and in the market, most Russian buyers prefer citrus from Abkhazia, not Turkey or Morocco. Of course, they are not as photogenic as those waxed from southern countries, but they are not inferior to them for their useful and healing properties. And their peels can also be used further, since they are not subjected to any chemical treatment. In addition, the season of mandarins in Abkhazia begins in the second half of November, and fruits are immediately on store shelves, but the autumn harvest from Morocco and Turkey can be stored in warehouses for several months and lose a significant part of its useful properties.

When Mandarins Ripen in Abkhazia

The ubiquitous gathering of a delicious harvest in these places begins, as already said, after November 15th. But citrus fruits have several varieties, and the first of some early ones can be tried a month earlier. Now you have a good enough knowledge of such fruits as Abkhazian mandarins: when ripen, useful properties, etc. It is necessary to know that for export they go all under the same name - Abkhazian, but there are several dozens of varieties and varieties here. On a relatively small territory of the country, in one corner of the country, small size can grow, fine-bodied fruits having an acidic taste. And in 50-60 kilometers from this place - thick-skinned, large, with a rich, sweet taste. This affects the microclimate of the place where the plantations are located: humidity, sea air and even mountains.

How to collect tangerines

During the harvest season, many tourists come to Abkhazia. During this period, you can perfectly enjoy the winter, the freshest fruit harvest: orange, mandarin, kiwi, persimmon, feijoa. Such a pleasure lasts until the end of January. So the New Year can be celebrated in these beautiful places. Including watching the collection of fruits, and even yourself to take an active part. The collection of mandarins in Abkhazia is one of the main labor seasons, when locals, and visitors, earn money for six months ahead. Almost every farm in these places has tangerine gardens. The task of collecting them is much more complicated than with a crop, for example, apples. If you want to keep the collected fruits for as long as possible, rather than two or three weeks, then you need to take this case very carefully. First of all, it is necessary to carefully cut the pedicels, not to allow them to scratch one another. In no case can not be rudely ripped off, but you need to use a pruner. If you do everything right, at least a couple of months of successful storage will be provided. Most of the crop is exported, and almost all citrus fruits are sent to Russia. At home, they almost do not remain. They are not stored here for long, there are no dishes with tangerines in the national cuisine. They eat mostly fresh, sometimes squeeze out the juice or make a fruit salad.

How can I keep the tangerines?

We know when we collect mandarins in Abkhazia. We also know how to harvest. And how to keep these fruits longer by buying them in a store or bringing them from a trip to the southern country? Let us give you some tips on this:

1. One of the best ways is to put the tangerines in the refrigerator, preferably in a separate compartment specially designed for fruits and vegetables. One month they will remain so without problems.
2. With this storage option, you need not be afraid that citrus fruits will rot. It is much more important that they do not dry out. Therefore, in the refrigerator must be observed conditions of high humidity and a temperature of +6 degrees.
3. If you rub the fruits with vegetable oil, and then send them to the refrigerator, the shelf life will increase slightly.
4. Do not store our fruit in a bag of polyethylene, as they will deteriorate faster in such conditions. The reason is that the package does not let oxygen pass, intensified evaporation of moisture begins, and the mandarins "choke".
5. The best option is to put the fruit in the net. Do you remember those from the past?
6. After thermal processing of citrus fruits, you can eat them for at least one year. Prepare jam, jam, jelly, jelly or impregnation for the pie.

Reviews about tangerines from Abkhazia

What else can we be interested in when considering fruits such as Abkhazian mandarins? When ripen? We already know this. It is only necessary to indicate that depending on the weather conditions, the harvest season can begin as a couple of weeks earlier, and as much later. Heat or, conversely, heavy rains have a significant impact on this. Well, what do citrus lovers say about their impressions of this fruit? Both words blend into one: the tangerine is Abkhazia. Reviews about the taste are mostly positive. Well, and no one said a bad word about the benefits of these fruits. Here, most importantly, you must comply with one condition - in no case do not overeat. In this case, there may be health problems. Especially it concerns children. According to some people, a tangerine diet helped them to lose their weight a little and noticeably improve their health. Moreover, mandarins are a great antidepressant, and losing weight with it is a real pleasure. So regularly eat your favorite citrus fruits and always be vigorous, healthy and active!