The chemicals listed in the first five flavor
headings are terpenes, which are especially
characteristic of citrus fruits and some herbs
and spices (p. 390).
Mandarin, or Tangerine Mandarin oranges
were cultivated in ancient India and China at
least 3,000 years ago. The well-known
Japanese type, the satsuma, appeared by the
16th century, and Mediterranean types
(“tangerines,” from the Moroccan city of
Tangier) in the 19th century. Mandarins tend
to be relatively small and flat, with a reddish,
easily peeled rind and a distinctive, rich
aroma that has notes of thyme and Concord
grape (thymol, methyl anthranilate). They’re
the most cold-hardy of citrus trees, yet the
fruits are fairly fragile. Satsumas are seedless