In the peak of California citrus season, a moment for the Page mandarin from Garcia Family Farms.

A harbinger of winter, the Page mandarin is a hybrid of the Clementine mandarin and Minnelo tangelo (which in itself is a hybrid of the Bowen grapefruit and Dancy tangerine).

Its stubborn peel is responsible for not being as popular as other seedless varieties, like the Satsuma or Murcott, but the work is worth the reward of balanced acidity and a juicy sweetness that channels memories of 90’s orange creamsicles.

Garcia Organic Farm founder, Juan Garcia

The Page mandarins found in Gjelina’s sorbet and citrus plate, hail from Deluz, California where Juan and Coco Garcia and their family started farming organically in 1989. What started as 9 acres of absolutely nothing 3 decades ago has grown to 27 acres of organically grown guava, cherimoya, figs, pomegranates, and citrus – with the page mandarin being their most beloved.

Garcia Organic Farm

A California Certified Organic Farm (CCOF) since 1994, the Garcia’s only use chicken manure and their properties own compost to keep their soil healthy, and have intentionally maintained a small footprint, putting to practice that the smaller the property is, the more you can take care of it. It’s only during the tedious kumquat season that two additional pickers are brought on.

Despite mounting pressure to grow to further meet the demand, the Garcia’s maintain their belief there is no need to have too much, and at the Gjelina Group we are honored to share some of their limited bounty – be it prepared in a fruit salad, or a sweet bright orange jewel found in your Gjusta Grocer winter basket.