What has happened to clementines?

Sorry, @janbb, but they’re great here in Austin. I’ve been eating ‘em by the ton.

I can’t find the Clementines I used to buy ether. One brand I liked was Cuties. I had some Halos recently that we’re pretty sweet, but they were very small. My Publix is only selling what I consider the equivalent to clementines whatever brand in 5 lb bags and it’s too large, I can’t find 3lb anywhere. I think maybe they go through a growing season being more available certain times of the year, but I haven’t paid attention to the pattern.

You are lost and gone forever, oh my darling clementines ;-)

We do have some great ones in Austin—you must come to claim yours!

@picante It’s almost worth the disappointment for that quip! Wish I’d thought of it.

We’ve had a wide range of clementine success this season, but mostly good. This winter has been much better than last winter was,

I’ve noticed this as well. The last few bags I bought were filled with dry, bitter clementines – and these were Cuties, which I’ve never had anything but good experiences with. After the third bag that I ended up tossing, I gave up and moved on to bananas. Bananas always taste the same; they just get bruised too quickly for my liking.

I just bought a flat of them. Darling Clementines and they are better than the last batch. These are from Morocco.

@LuckyGuy The great ones I had at my nephew’s were from Morocco too. Maybe I have to try other supermarkets.

@livelaughlove21 I agree but I have to eat bananas before they get mushy.

@pachy and @picante Clearly I need to come to Austin.

I only ever see those around Christmas. But they’re usually always easy to peel. Sometimes, only sometimes, they’re tough to peel though.

We get them here in Canada, not sure if there are any in right now, but they pop up every year

Yes I have to totally agree with you @janbb I used to love clementines however this year and I noticed last year they changed and I stopped buying them all together. I am tired of getting tart boxes that no one will eat when they used to go a box in a day in my house. I will have to look for ones from Morocco to see if they are any better.

@XOIIO Around what time of year? I’ve lived in Manitoba and Québec, in both places we always just get them around Christmas time. There has to be places that sell em all year round though.

I’ve bought three bags this year, and only one was any good. The last one was downright awful! Either a bad mix of sour and bitter or half dried out inside.

I also had a problem with apples this year. Very few that I bought tasted good.

Don’t forget California is in the middle of one of the driest seasons on record. If it’s California citrus you may not be seeing the best fruit.
I’ve been buying Halos at supermarket and Costco. They’re perfect and I’m plowing through them while they’re good. After this thread I’m feeling lucky!

@Symbeline Same, Christmas, we usually call them Christmas oranges. I wonder if some Asian markets might sell them year round.

We usually get them in the Fall through Spring but now that they’ve found a way to make them crappy, they’ll probably be available all year round.

At my supermarket they usually have them for sale in bags and individually. They might just be opening the bagged ones for the bins. Ask the guy working the produce section to let you try one. I’ve never ever been denied a sample of any produce when I’ve asked. They’re happy to do it. If it sucks, pick a different fruit.

@GloPro Good idea but they don’t seem to sell clementines loose at my supermarket.

I always buy the clementines in the little wooden boxes that are imported from Spain. they are thin skinned,easy to peel and sweet with a very thin layer of pith that stays on the skin and not on the fruit.i don’t like the domestic clementines and I have never had nor seen the Moroccan variety.

When I first saw clementines in the store, I was really excited, and expected them to be like the boxes of Christmas oranges we got when I was growing up, which I am sure were just mandarin oranges. I was disappointed. The clementines were hard to peel, dry and pithy, and bitter. Yuck! If they were ever good, I must have missed it.

@Skaggfacemutt They were, they were.

The company that patented the name “Cuties” is the same company behind the “Wonderful” campaigns (Pomegranates, almonds, numerous other produce items). They decided to sell the name Cuties to a competitor and re-market their Clementines as Halos. Here in California we just call them all Mandarins, and it’s been a wonderful year. I bought some up near Sacramento a couple of days ago in a supermarket that were sweet, easy to peel – you can eat them like candy. And we did. :-)

Going to Cali on Friday; maybe I’ll scarf a bunch down!

@GoldieAV16 Thanks for that info.

John Boehner got a seed in one. He vowed to take them off the market.

They’ve been gross. We ended up buying navel oranges and spending a half an hour a day peeling them… but at least they taste good.

We’ve also stopped buying avocados because we had batch after batch of bad ones.

The dangers of eating out-of-season non-local foods, I guess.

Thank you to everyone for the advice on the Morroco Clementines I found some yesterday and the box is already almost gone the girls can’t stop eating them. My oldest said they taste like candy, I think I will go out today and pick up another one. Yum Yum!!!!!!

Sorry, but in my area they are still ok, though I like mandarins better.:)

I have had some Halos and some Cuties recently and the Cuties are by far sweeter and juicier.

@Ninasimon Yes, I like mandarins better, too.