I need New York satsumas NOW, dammit.

December 16, 2010 9:47 AM

I love citrus generally, but I was just thinking about how I really, really love satsumas - but haven't seen them in the local Whole Foods in a while. I'm in NYC - where can I go now, and generally, to get some delicious satsumas?

Not much more than that - saw YoungAmerican tweeting about how wonderful a good satsuma is, and realized it's been forever since I had one.

Unfortunately, YoungAmerican's on the west coast, and I'm here in gritty Gotham. Where can I reliably get some fresh, delicious satsumas to eat? Surely they can't be that hard to find? My google-fu has proven insufficient.

posted by Ash3000 to Food & Drink (19 answers total)

Though I'm on the West Coast as well, I got my last batch of satsumas from Safeway. They seem to come and go, however, so I'm not sure if there is some kind of crop shortage or...?
posted by eralclare at 9:53 AM on December 16, 2010

Asian markets on the east coast have lots of California satsumas right now - the H Marts and Grand Marts in DC are overflowing with them, with the leaves still on. I bought a 30 pound box for $20; they were gone in three days.
posted by peachfuzz at 9:56 AM on December 16, 2010

Satsuma (or Mikan ) citruses are of Japanese origin and are very popular to eat in Japan around New Years, so I would bet your local Japanese/Asian markets would have them in stock now.
posted by nikkorizz at 10:12 AM on December 16, 2010

Funny, I just realized I never see satsumas in New York, even when the stores are overflowing with other idiosyncratic citrus fruits like clementines and kumquats.

I'd suggest browsing the many produce markets in Chinatown - they always have off-the-beaten-track fruits. If they carry dragonfruit they must carry satsumas, right?
posted by Sara C. at 10:21 AM on December 16, 2010

Re a "shortage" - apparently the citrus season this year isn't very good. I forget what it is exactly, something in the amount of rain or whether it got too cold or was too hot or something.
posted by Sara C. at 10:22 AM on December 16, 2010

Wow, I always thought that satsumas and clementines were two names for the same fruit, but apparently I am wrong! That will be my new thing I've learned today.
posted by mskyle at 10:28 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Have you checked Whole Foods in the last day or so? I can confirm that as of today, they're in the Whole Foods here in Ann Arbor, MI (I also listened to the JJGo podcast). Maybe you could put in a request?
posted by SpicyMustard at 10:56 AM on December 16, 2010

Satsumas are in season in CA right now so you should be able to find them in an asian grocery store. That's where I'd always find them when I lived in the midwest and regular old grocery stores didn't stock them. I think they're also called mandarin oranges, so maybe you need to ask for those?
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 10:59 AM on December 16, 2010

According to wikpedia they're also called seedless mandarin oranges.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 11:03 AM on December 16, 2010

Over here in Portland, Trader Joe's has satsumas -- usually mixed in with the clementines, so you just have to look carefully at the box. Since TJ's seems to have similar items regardless of geography, maybe that'd be another place to check.
posted by lisa g at 11:09 AM on December 16, 2010

I'm a transplant from Seattle now living on the east coast, and I can confirm that satsumas are both harder to find and defininitely NOT the same thing as clementines. Satsumas are better. It's just the truth.

nth-ing Asian markets, I've had occasional success here in Boston.
posted by heyforfour at 11:30 AM on December 16, 2010

Asian markets, yes. Especially Japanese markets.

heyforfour, they have beautiful satsumas right now at Russo's in Watertown.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:40 AM on December 16, 2010

Go across river to NJ Edgewater to Mitsuwa, which is a huge Japanese grocery/shopping center. They have satsumas but expect to pay a lot for them.

While you're in the area, you might want to try the Whole Foods down the street because I have seen them there before. Piles of satsumas with stem and leave still on. My sister misses how plentiful they are on the West Coast and any time I can buy them fresh, I ship her a box. It's worth it!
posted by loquat at 12:05 PM on December 16, 2010

I have a pal in NYC, native New Orleanian, who I happened to be talking with recently about how much he misses satsumas. He found them at a place called Garden of Eden in Hoboken as recently as the end of November.
posted by CheeseLouise at 12:33 PM on December 16, 2010

If the Garden of Eden in Hoboken is the same company as the Garden of Eden chain of groceries in New York, it would be worth giving them a call to ask if any of their Manhattan stores carry satsumas.
posted by Sara C. at 12:51 PM on December 16, 2010

Trader Joe's in Wilmington DE had some today. They were next to the clementines. Can't help with NY though.
posted by interplanetjanet at 5:58 PM on December 16, 2010

There were satsumas at the Trader Joe's on 14th Street as recently as two days ago.
posted by saladin at 4:50 AM on December 17, 2010

If you're still looking I was in eli's vinegar factory on 91st st (between York and 1st) today and they have satsumas.
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 10:13 AM on December 18, 2010

stumbled on this. Trader Joe's on 14th had them yesterday
posted by TravellingCari at 5:20 PM on December 29, 2010