It's Sumo Time!

No need to find a wrestling mat, I'm not promoting a new fitness craze. This post is all about fruit!

The other day my sister sent me an email with the subject line, "They are Back!" and only an image attached. At first I thought it was spam. I crossed my fingers and opened the picture anyway. When the image loaded I giggled with glee, it was a heap of Sumo Citrus on display at her local natural food store.

These are too good not to lay your hands on, even if you only snag a single fruit it will be a treat worth tracking down. These over sized rolly-polly cuties are a tangerine-orange hybrid developed, over 30 years, by a grower in Japan. Previously available in Asia they are now grown in limited quantity in Central California for distribution along the U.S.'s west coast.

Around the size of a medium Navel Orange they are so easy to peel they practically shed their own skin - no jamming bits of rind under your fingernails with these babies. The plump segments are sweet with a mild tartness much like a mandarin. They are juicy but not messy so you should be safe eating one without a napkin (kids will probably still need their hands wiped because, well, you know why).

This morning I was so excited to scoop up half a dozen Sumo Citrus from the pile at my local Whole Foods. Post acquisition I ran right home to gobble up the first one. I haven't decided if I will share them with the rest of the family. Perhaps I will tuck them in the bottom of a hamper or the back of a cabinet - is that mean?

The limited supply and short season means Sumo are a priced above most other citrus but I got a tip from the Whole Foods checker that they would likely put the last of the supply on a one day clearance sale. If I hear about a Sumo sale I'll post the info on Facebook.

Check out the Sumo Citrus website for the full story of Sumo you can also find a little more detail on where to buy these lumpy spheres of goodness.

Have you tried Sumo Citrus? What did you think?

BTW This is not a sponsored piece, I just really want you to know about (and try) Sumo fruit!