This has to be one of my favorite Italian Christmas traditions...

+ TWO recipes for you to create at home 😀

Last week I told you all about my favorite panettone, a must at every Italian holiday table! Panettone is always served with a bottle of bubbly, usually alongside a big bowl of clementines.

Clementines are named after Clément Rodier, a French missionary who first discovered and propagated the cultivar after it grew spontaneously in the garden of his Algerian orphanage.

The exterior is a deep orange color with a smooth, glossy appearance. Clementines can be separated into 7 to 14 segments. Similar to tangerines, they tend to be easy to peel. They are typically juicy and sweet, with less acid than oranges.

There are two noteworthy Italian clementine cultivars: