A tangerine is just one of many kinds of mandarin oranges that are part of the orange family. Mandarin oranges are loose-skinned, easily peeled fruit that can be sweet or tart, seedless or not and range in size from a golf ball to a tennis ball. Satsuma and clementine are also of the mandarin orange category.

Tangerines are known as the Christmas orange. The tangerine’s peak season is in December, and the fruit was once a common gift for children’s Christmas stockings. It is named for the city of Tangiers in Morocco, where it originated. In Asian culture, mandarin oranges and tangerines are symbols of abundance and good fortune.

Like other citrus, always select tangerines by their weight. Squeeze gently: Tangerines should be firm but squishy, indicating juiciness.

Tangerines are best eaten out of hand; tangerine juice is especially good when you have an abundance of this delicate fruit.