Next to the temperate weather, one of the nicest things about living in Florida is the abundance of citrus fruits we have here. Several years ago, I planted a kumquat tree in my front yard. It’s a spindly, sad-looking, little thing. But, every year around this time, it give me masses and masses of lovely, plump kumquats.
Kumquats are an eclectic little fruit. While they look like miniature oranges, they’re not at all like the Valencia and Temple oranges that they share my yard space with. For one thing, a kumquat’s edible rind is thin, soft and sweet, while its flesh is bitter. Most people eat the rind and toss the rest. For another thing, they don’t have much juice in them. You can usually squeeze out a scant teaspoon or so to add to a cocktail, but that’s pretty much it. One thing they do have in common though, is that they’re both great for candying.
Filed Under: Canning and Preserving, Cooking, Fruits, Recipes