If you think the latest crop arriving on The Peach Truck looks decidedly more orange, you'd be right. The Nashville-based company known for delivering fresh Georgia peaches to the area each summer has ventured into Florida for mandarins.
"This year, the energy and excitement of freshly delivered peaches extends to a new and unique fruit," says tour director Johnny Ellett.
At almost 100 stops in six states, trucks will deliver 10-pound boxes of fresh-picked satsuma mandarin oranges "straight from the finest farms in southern Georgia and northern Florida," Ellett says.
The Chattanooga stop is Thursday, Dec. 9, at Tractor Supply on Signal Mountain Road. Orders must be placed before midnight Monday, Dec. 6.
"Satsumas are known to be the brightest, juiciest winter mandarin oranges," Ellett says, "and are so delicate they are only in season for a limited three weeks every year."
Pickup location
— Order satsuma mandarin oranges online at thepeachtruck.com before midnight Dec. 6 for pickup from noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 9 at Tractor Supply, 684 Signal Mountain Road.
According to cookinglight.com, satsumas are slightly larger than clementines and tangerines, and the tender flesh is easy to peel, making them "a great kid-friendly snack."
"They are considered the juiciest of the family and have a balanced sweet-yet-tart flavor that makes them delectable on their own or used in savory dishes and desserts," says the website.
They can be stored on the counter for up to a week or refrigerated for up to a month.
In a news release, Ellett says the new offerings help promote citrus, a custom for many families during the holiday season, in the same way peaches are a tradition each summer.
To order satsuma mandarins, or other winter products such as pecans and peach cobbler filling, visit thepeachtruck.com/pages/winter-tour. A ship-to-home option also is available.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.
Contributed Photo from The Peach Truck / Winter offerings from The Peach Truck include peach cobbler filling, mandarin oranges and pecans.