Sunday, November 24, 2013

orange is the new...mandarin





You may have noticed I like orange. Major does too. But for one weekend, the whole town is in love with orange.




Specifically mandarins! These are not the mandarin "cuties" you buy in the store. These local satsuma mandarins are the most delicious things you've ever eaten. I eat them like candy. My thumb is stained orange from opening them. Major loves them too, but they are so precious, I don't like to share.




At the Mountain Mandarin Festival there are many farms selling bags of mandarins, and you can taste each farm and pick your favorite. This area is famous for these fruits, with perfect weather and elevation. There is also mandarin everything else: honey, preserves, vodka, oil, balsamic vinegar, desserts and the best of all is mandarin milkshake.




I cannot leave the festival without the delicious shake, and almost forgot a photo in my excitement over the deliciousness.

There is other standard festival stuff too that I'm never very interested in, like jewelry and scarves and cooking demos. There was an awesome cat at the animal shelter van, big friendly fluffy black kitty, but I resisted. I sure hope he finds a good home (I took no photos of his cuteness as he reached through the bars to touch me. Sadly my current cat would shred him into little kitty bits.)




I did come home with some apricot preserves (it tastes like summer, yum) and another 10 pound bag which MIGHT last till Thanksgiving. I was going to share, (tis the season etc.), but I may need to buy another bag. Luckily there are many convenient orchards right by my house!






I have a lovely tree covered with orange fruit too. But it is yucky persimmons, the variety (hachiya) which is bitter until it is squishy and you can cook with it. Or until they splat all over the patio. But the wildlife love it. The other night a huge deer with lovely antlers stood 5 feet from my front door eating the fallen fruit. Then probably munching on my other plants too. Love/hate the deer.

The mandarins are here for only a short time. So I love them while they are here, get a bit tired of them after awhile, but am still sad when they leave, and appreciate them even more when I see them again.

Like family. Happy Thanksgiving.



4 comments:

  1. Had noticed orange tendencies here on the blog. Also fond of orange - colors and fruits.

    I just harvested our wild persimmons the other day - planning to make jelly, or syrup if the pectin doesn't work. ;D

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. I haven't seen persimmon jelly (or syrup!) much, I'll have to look into that. I make a few cookies usually and let the wildlife have the rest!

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  2. Oh cool, I would love to go to that mandarin festival next time! I love mandarins and am getting fonder and fonder of orange ;-)

    I don't like to eat straight persimmons but my mom makes EPIC persimmon cookies and cakes, they seem to be great for baking

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  3. I am eating tangerines right now. Haven't seen the really, really good tiny satsumas in the store yet but I'll look harder, I *love* them!

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