FoodFood InformationFruitCitrus
Kumquats are attractive miniature citrus fruits that are shaped likeolives. They are highly prized in the Orient, where they have been cultivatedfor thousands of years. In the United States they are grown on a limitedscale in Florida and California.
The fruit is quite tart and has many seeds. Its skin, like the skin of allcitrus fruits, has a sharp, alcoholic flavor. Some people enjoy eating rawkumquats, skin and all, but most of those sold in North America are usedfor decorative purposes.
When used to make marmalade, the end product tastes very much like the English-stylemarmalades that are made with the bitter Seville orange. Kumquats are oftenglazed and candied with sugar and sold as a dried fruit. They are at theirflavor best when boiled in a sugar syrup and used as a garnish for meatand poultry dishes, especially roast duckling. In Oriental neighborhoods,fresh kumquats, with their green leaves still attached, are a traditionalNew Year's gift.
When choosing kumquats, select those that are firm and have high color.If the fruit is orange in color, store in the refrigerator; if it is greenishin color, don't make the purchase. The peak of season is from December toMay.
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