Dekopon (Sumo) Citrus

IT’S SUMO SEASON!

These big knobby, wrinkly citrus may look ugly AF, but their sweetness and flavor are off the charts. The Dekopon is a fairly new (developed in 1972) hybrid that originated in Japan. It was developed from other citrus fruits, including mandarins and pomelos. These seedless fruits taste like sunshine, rainbows, and the sweetest mandarin you’ve ever had.

At their peak, they can reach a sweetness level of 18 degrees Brix (which is the measure of sugar content) compared to a paltry 11 to 13 degrees Brix in other peasant citrus fruits.

It has a short season – you can typically find them in grocery stores from January to April.

Sumo isn’t the actual name of this fruit, but rather a brand. They chose the name to pay homage to the traditional hairstyles of sumo wrestlers, which the knob on top is reminiscent of. The name also points to the fact that these bad boys are large. Way bigger than your average orange.

This citrus fruit is my spirits fruit. Because like me, it requires pampering and needs to be slathered in sunscreen during the summer. Because of all if this, they come with a hefty price tag. But I assure you, the juice is definitely worth the squeeze.

Be on the look out for these at your local grocery store this season!

Fun fact: Japan Fruit Growers Cooperative Association designated March 1st as "Dekopon day" in 2006