A mandelo (or ''Mandalo'', also known as a "cocktail grapefruit")
is a
citrus fruit
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Mandarin orange, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, ...
that is smaller than a
grapefruit
The grapefruit (''Citrus'' × ''paradisi'') is a subtropical citrus tree known for its relatively large, sour to semi-sweet, somewhat bitter fruit. The flesh of the fruit is segmented and varies in color from pale yellow to dark red.
Grapefru ...
, has yellow or yellow-green coloured skin and bright yellow or yellow-orange flesh, but is sweeter than a grapefruit.
[
]
Origin
The mandelo was developed in the 1950s at the UC Citrus Experiment Station, but then escaped into public orchards.[ It is a yellow-orange fleshed tri-specific ]citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes.
''Citrus'' is nativ ...
hybrid between a 'Frua' hybrid mandarin ('Dancy' mandarin × 'King tangor') and a Siamese Sweet pomelo.[ It is named for its ancestors, mandarin and pomelo.
]
Distribution
The fruit normally has large and vigorous trees,[ but in colder situations they are smaller.][ They can grow in the ]Caribbean
The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
and Western United States and Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, in various soil types.[
]
Fruit description
The tree is very productive, producing its fruit in clusters from November to February.[ They vary from the size of an orange to the size of a grapefruit.][ The fruit has a thin, easy-to-peel, smooth, yellow rind. Its flesh is seedy, bright yellow][ or yellow-orange in color, and very juicy. The flavor is sub-acid-like.][
]
Usage
Due to its tenderness and high seed
In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...
content, the mandelo has not achieved great commercial success, but its unique flavor, early and long season, and prolific nature have led to its increasing popularity in backyard orchards in southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
.[''Indoor Citrus & Rare Fruit Society Newsletter'' (Spring 1987)]
Besides being good for eating fresh, 'Cocktail' may be used to make marmalade
Marmalade (from the Portuguese ''marmelada'') is a fruit preserves, fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The well-known version is made from bitter orange. It also has been made from lemons ...
or jam, candied peel, syrup
In cooking, syrup (less commonly sirup; from ; , beverage, wine and ) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a Solution (chemistry), solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but ...
,[ or in ]cocktail
A cocktail is a mixed drink, usually alcoholic beverage, alcoholic. Most commonly, a cocktail is a combination of one or more liquor, spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as juices, flavored syrups, tonic water, Shrub (drink), shrubs, and ...
s and smoothies.[
]
References
External links
YouTube video - "What's A Cocktail Grapefruit? Let's's (sic) Find Out!"
Citrus hybrids
{{citrus