My Darling Clementine-What Nice Fruit Baskets You Make

Blink and you’ll miss these smaller than regular oranges in the produce isle, but these tasty little citrus fruits are worth purchasing. They make nice additions to salads, cakes and fruit baskets. They are useful in so many ways other than looking pretty in a bowl or a basket. Clementines are actually useful around the house and you can use them for cleaning countertops. When cut in half and dipped in a bit of salt, these little fruits make nice scrubbing sponges for cleaning countertops. They can even remove odors by placing a few in your garbage disposal.

Clementine oranges our gaining in popularity and a lot of handcrafted gourmet fruit baskets. They are a great gift giving idea and complement well with salty meat and cheese recipes. When deciding on ripeness in a fruit basket, the skin of a Clementine should be bright and shiny and have a pleasant citrus smell with no hint of mustiness. It should be firm as well with some give to it.

Clementines were discovered in 1890 by an Algerian Monk named Father Clement Rodier. He discovered this tiny orange in the garden of his orphanage. There are different types of Clementine fruit and Spain was actually the first commercial growers of this little citrus. Even today, they still remain the largest producer of top quality Clementines. Clementines are actually miniature mandarin oranges that contain only 34 calories per serving. They are a nice alternative to other high sugar fruits and are the perfect choice if you’re looking to send a nutritious and health conscious fruit basket to someone. They are a great portable snack as they fit in the palm of your hand and are easy to peel. This fruit is usually available from November to March, but they reach their height of sweetness by December.

Clementines are actually easier to peel than a regular sized orange and they contain niacin, thiamin, and a host of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important in assisting our bodies to break down free radicals that are found in the air and environment around us. Not only is the inside of the fruit delicious, but the outside of the skin contains a fair amount of orange oil. Orange oil can be used in the making of potpourri and for aromatherapy uses.

Clementines are the center of attention when piled high in fruit baskets with a selection of gourmet wines, cheeses and chocolate.

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