to think that satsumas aren't what they used to be

[WitchyWooWoo]

I have wonderful childhood memories of satsumas, juicy, sweet, I could eat a whole bag of them. Now when I get them they are hard and tasteless. cant stand the things. even when they feel like they are ripe and ready to eat they are vile. Are all satsumas like this now or is it just my local grocers/supermarket have bad stock?

it was. i ignored the mil bit and dreamt of lovely satsumas.

you know, all fruit has gone downhill somewhat. i never seem to get anything that tastes lovely, yet i know that fruit does and i buy it, checking it out in stores to try and get the best but its all bland :(

unfortunatly cant get to a waitrose :( im stuck with asda, tesco or sainsburies

Part of the problem is that supermarkets have conditioned us not to be aware of seasonality.

Example: English apples are just about ready now - they're an autumn crop. South African or Chilean apples are also an autumn crop but autumn in the S Hemisphere is Feb-April. By this time of year those apples have been in coldstore for the thick end of six months, growers are eager to get rid of them and the buyers get them cheap and run a BOGOF promo. We go for the promo, eat the apples, don't clock the country of origin and wonder why they taste like cotton-wool.

On the continent they wouldn't touch a Chilean apple in December any more than they'd touch a French apple in July... then again, they expect to pay more for something that tastes nice. Horses for courses

I read that quickly and thought you were going to say that they'll pay for something that tastes nice, ie.....Horses for which course?...i do buy seasonally but still think Scottish raspberries and strawberries aren't as nice anymore

I was posting on the other thread about satsumas.

I agree that it is definitely contravening the Trades Descriptions Act to call some orange fruits "satsumas".

A proper satsuma is fat, with a loose moist coat, which slips off easily. Satsumas DO NOT have tight skins which you have to make an effort to peel. They are also easily segmented, and are not covered in pith.

I have found decent satsumas on markets, never in supermarkets. And it is impossible to purchase a nice satsuma after Christmas. They have a short season.

And (sorry to bore other thread readers) I have the title of Biggest Satsuma Eater Ever after turning orange one year. I was diagnosed with liver overload due to my massive consumption. My mother was mightily guilty, having thought that my 12 a day habit was healthy. Apparently it was not.

Satsumas only used to be available around Christmas. Now it's a much longer season, but I still find they're best in season. To choose good ones, I squeeze and see how loose the skin is - it needs to be a little loose, or the satsuma will not be great .

I think that the only oranges I like are navel.

I do like minneolas but aren´t they a hybrid of something-tangerine & something.

Satumas I agree only good around Christmas time.

Totally agree with Gramercy - "A proper satsuma is fat, with a loose moist coat, which slips off easily." Clementines have tight skins and hard orange-like segments and sometimes pips, also a generic "tangerine" is much the same. The only ones I really like are satsumas (though my mother has never quite got this into her head) and their season is sadly very short.

I used to buy dozens of them when I was a teen but never turned orange.

You are right there, the satsumas totday are hard, not easy to peel and revolting. Will have to throw mine out.