Hi there,
I think the spelling is NAARTJIE - actually a citrus fruit , usually orange when ripe and really a kind of tangerine. The fruit you are describing however does not sound like a naartjie as they are usually smaller about the size of an orange .I think somehow the word and the fruit were used at the samme time and it stuck.
Good luck with your search
Tagary

Thanks! A couple people over in "Name that Plant" figured it out too. Now if I could just find a way to get some seeds from that local cultivar... (smiles)

PS- Whilst living in Bucks I missed American waffles and crisp bacon; now I find I'm missing clotted cream and good English roast lamb and my partner misses biltong & naartjies... lol... such international greediness!

Here is a link that might be useful: osprey: rare but definitely here

So what was it?

Naartjies are a snack of choice in SA, especially during rugby matches. When I was small I remember the peels being thrown at unpopular players...

Hi freshdesign - Oh it was definitely a type of naartjie.

My DSO looked at the pix (http://www.ceasaminas.com.br/usuarios/agroqualidade/Tangerina/tangerina.htm - link below) and chose C2 and the ones at the top as being almost exactly what he'd run across.

Here is a link that might be useful: tangerine dreams - Citrus deliciosa