I tried Sumo Citrus to see what all the fuss is about.
Author’s Note: Not a paid review. I have no affiliation with Sumo Citrus. Or any of the other brands mentioned here. Natch.
These babies are going to Harvard.
If you’ve spent any amount of time on the internet, you’ve likely endured a steady trickle of hype over these weird-looking Sumo Citrus fruits. I’ve mainly heard them described as a “sweeter” and “easier to peel” version of a mandarin or tangerine. Unfortunately, they come with an eye-watering price tag of $3-4 each. Due to a wicked-good sale at a Sprouts Farmers Market grand opening, I finally succumbed to my curiosity. But, I only bought one.
First of all, props to whomever named these fruits. “Sumo” is a much more endearing and whimsical moniker than what I’d have chosen. These look like the tragic, deeply scarred face of a villain from a Marvel movie. They look like it would be rude to stare at them in public.
The biggest question in my mind was “is there fruit inside that knob on top?” So, I ripped the knob off. And, no. It’s just a fleshy blob of citrus peel and pith. Now we know.
But, I did stick my nose into the opening and inhale the fruity smells. And, wow. These smell good. They smell like…well, I don’t even know what they smell like. They smell like nothing I’ve smelt before. It’s almost floral, but also spicy. An addictive, intoxicating smell. A tangy, bright smell with rich, complex undertones. Look, if you paid four bucks for this little fruit — make sure you smell it!
I usually slice my citrus fruit into arcs, but since the selling point of the Sumos is their ease of peeling, I went ahead and peeled mine. Not a single lie was told. My peel slid right off. And in one piece, no less. I did this with my bare hands in less than 10 seconds. If you hate peeling fruit, you will love this. It’s actually kind of fun and mesmerizing, to be honest.
The peel is thick and heavy, and very “clean.” It doesn’t ooze or get sticky when peeling. I did feel sad seeing how much inedible material I paid for by weight. I weighed the discarded peel on my kitchen scale at about 3 ounces. Just saying.
The peeled segments divide easily, but they do have substantial pith remaining. I pulled off as much stringy pith as I could, since I don’t like eating it. If you prefer to remove the skin from your segments, I found mine fairly loose and easy to peel back. Sumos are seedless, so that’s a plus. Well, maybe not for the Sumo — they’ll never be a father. But, enjoy. You monster.
Ok, and finally: the fruit. It’s delicious. Although it has a pleasant sweetness, it’s the depth of the flavor that impressed me. I am actually not a big fan of “sweet” fruit, because it’s often a substitute for flavor. Not so here. Like the smell, the taste is full of complexity and richness. It tastes like a tangerine on performance-enhancement drugs. It tastes like a mandarin orange with SAT scores of 1600. These babies are going to Harvard!
I won’t insult this fruit by comparing it to Starburst candy or Skittles. But, I’ll just say that you won’t want those things after eating a Sumo.
The inner meat has an extremely tender, soft texture which almost feels fragile. But, surprisingly, my segments didn’t leak or ooze while eating them. They’re weirdly self-contained, and not messy. Even with the skin completely removed, the cells remain intact. I didn’t have a single drop of juice ooze out — except in my mouth. These are juicy nuggets. I loved them.
I LOVED THEM. But I’m poor. I don’t think I can justify $4 fruits. Let me say again — without the peel — these aren’t very big.
Speaking of that peel, I did nibble on some. Because I paid for it, and I needed to know. It’s crisp, but moist inside, with a moderate bitterness. It has the astringent bite of citrus oil, without being overwhelming. There’s probably a way to candy this peel, or dry it for tea. My skin smelled amazing after handling the rind. I want to smell like this forever.
Where can you buy Sumos?
Well, they seem to be everywhere these days. Even Target has them, for the comparatively affordable price of $2.50 each. Harry & David sells a five-pound box online for $50. BJ’s sells a 3-pound box for $8.49. Since I bought mine at a Sprouts sale, my ugly little Sumo only set me back $1.71. Probably the only way I’d buy these again is at another great sale.
What are Sumo Citrus?
Essentially, Sumo are a hybrid mandarin from Japan. According to the Sumo Citrus website, they’ve been cultivated in California since 1998, and they’re in season from January to April.
Dramatic Conclusion
These are shockingly tasty fruits. The flavor and aroma is unreal. The rumors are true: these are insanely easy to peel. If I win the lottery, I’ll eat Sumos every day.
But, I won’t win the lottery, because I don’t play the lottery. Alas.
The End.
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