I remember reading the "Little House" books as a girl, and one thing that always stood out to me is that the children used to get oranges in their stockings. Of course, at first this concept was completely foreign to me - didn't Christmas presents come in bright boxes with Mattel stamped on them and bearing the famous words "Batteries Not Included"? But Laura Ingalls Wilder had a gift for bringing you into her world, and that plus my vivid imagination led me to envision myself as a pioneer girl during a cold winter in the homestead, delightedly cupping a piece of citrus fruit as bright as sunshine in my hands. It surely would have seemed like a miracle, something out of your dreams.
It is with that same excitement that I embrace the arrival of the Satsumas every holiday season. Their color is so bright and lovely, with their dimpled skin housing a perfect piece of fruit inside, cleverly sectioned into pull-apart bite-sized pieces, each within a thin membrane to hold in all of the delicious juice. What a perfect food! Yesterday I was in wine country, and picked up a big bag of Satsumas at the Sonoma Valley Fruit Basket. I couldn't help but reach into the bag as I was driving back to San Francisco, select one, peel it, and pop the sections into my mouth. I know that I must have been smiling as I enjoyed my little snack, a gift that I appreciate like the warmth of the sun on my face after a good day.
