General Information
Mandarinquats are about twice the size of a kumquat. They have a bulbous teardrop shape with a distinct neck at the stem end. The thin rind is dark orange at maturity with a roughly pebbled appearance. It is fragrant and entirely edible. The skin offers a bit of crunch with a semi-sweet finish. Its bright orange flesh is tender and juicy with a very tart flavor. Mandarinquats have quite a few seeds, which are typically removed prior to preparing. Biting into a whole Mandarinquat will balance the sweet and tart flavors.
History
Mandarinquats were created in Indo, California by Dr. John Carpenter, at the United States Date and Citrus Station sometime before 1972. The larger kumquat variety is the result of a cross between an heirloom nagami kumquat from Florida and a dancy mandarin. Mandarinquats were released to commercial growers in 1989 under the name Indio Mandarinquat, for their place of origin. They were originally released for ornamental use and later gained popularity as a commercial variety.
