Like sweet, deep-orange jewels. No... more like sunshine!

Every year about this time I go a little crazy for a little citrus fruit called a Clementine (Clementina in Hebrew).

For those who have never experienced these treats, a Clementina is a (usually sometimes) seedless Mandarin orange that has a deep orange-red color and is as sweet as candy. 

In Israel, early winter is prime Clementinot season, with every supermarket and produce stand bursting at the seams with these delicious fruits.  I can't pass a store without picking up a dozen... and I have taken to keeping a basket of them on my desk at work to snack on throughout the day.

They practically peel themselves... and once the thin skin has been tossed aside, you are left with an easily sectioned fruit that reminds you of what oranges and tangerines tasted like when you were a kid.

Every office I go into these days has the heady aroma of recently peeled citrus... and everyone's fingertips seem to have little bits of rind around their cuticles.  I even tossed a half a dozen clementinot in my parent's bag before they left on a three day tiyul up north this week... knowing that they would be a perfect snack for the bus. 

I love this time of year.  I get to keep little round bits of sunshine right on my desk!