Cuties are in season

I have to admit, I love mandarin oranges. About 5 years ago, I began to find it impossible to purchase non-Chinese mandarin oranges in the US while living in South Carolina. I don't want lead, or sub-standard wages, or abysmally low quality going into the citrus I eat, so I stopped buying them.

Living in Arizona however, I'm next door to California. And California, grows and distributes some of the world's most delicious citrus. Cuties California Mandarins (clementine and murcott) are being sold at Fresh & Easy, Frys (aka Kroger), Safeway, and Costco... ubiquitously, as they are in season now. After eating two 3 lbs bags in the last month, I've come across only 2 of the little fruits with a brittle skin, all the others being juicy, peel-able, delicious, healthy little snacks. Yeah, they're not low carb, but full of fiber and micro-nutrients, I think they're better than most Christmas cookies. =)