General Chat

I don't think I've ever eaten kumquats, but after reading this thread I bought some this morning.
OH eat one raw and thinks they would be ideal and so refreshing after a country walk.
I've yet to try them....... I had just eaten a chocolate eclair and thought the clash of tastes might be just too much.

Gwyn

I've grown kumquats and loquats when living in Southern Spain,,,,and made marmalade with the kumquats...lovely...but never eaten raw.

I would kill it.I kill everything.

Sharron


I would think that the Kumquat tree would be an indoor plant


it would be here!


I have friends who have both a greenhouse and a sun room attached to their house which is not far from here ............... they have successfully grown for the last 14 years 2 lemon "trees" they brought from their previous home in California. They move them into the greenhouse in winter, and out into the sun room in summer

the things produce fruit quite abundantly .................... but are still shrubs. In California, they would be biggish trees by now!

I would think the marmalade to be very expensive to make.

There was a kumquat tree in Lidl recently but it was about £20 and I didn't want to spend that on something I would only kill.

Thanks Sylvia and Sharron for replies. Have googled them and seen them, but never eaten them. Was confusing them with something like physalis, I think.

My very first job was a Saturday boy selling fruit & veg - but in those days (early 1960's) "exotics" were bananas and lemons :-D

yes, they are, in the recipe I got from my friend.

I have seen other recipes where the kumquats are put in later.


This makes a soft fruit, and the leaving 2 months in a dark, cool place allows the flavours to really meld together (want a lip smacking emoticon :-) )



I find them more of a tart citrus than a sweet one, and just couldn't eat them raw ............

.......... I love the marmalade, even more than a Seville orange marmalade



I've also tried growing a kumquat "tree", several times

I've had several pits germinate, and a couple even lived for about a year.

Are the kumquats in the syrup qhile it is simmering?

Have never thought to dip them in sugar either,always thought they were sweet enough.

Sharron ...............

similar, but you have to heat the kumquats to soften them


wash kumquats, prick them in several places with a skewer

put them in pan with sugar (weight of sugar equal or slightly less than equal to weight of kumquats), and 200 ml Brandy to each kilogram of fruit

heat gently until sugar dissolves (ca 10 mins)

Then bring to the boil, and cook, bubbling, for 10-15 mins, or until "syrupy"

Spoon into sterilised jars, seal, and store in a dark cool place for 2 months


serve over icecream ........... or with a sponge dessert.

Eaten whole after being dipped in caster sugar - sweet and sour in one mouthful. Rather an aquired taste!

John


they're a citrus fruit

No.

Yum yums I know - twisty sugary doughnutty things. :-D

You may think me dense, but what are cumquats? I've got an onion looking thing with red flesh and pips in my mind. Am I warm?

What are yum yums?

Now if you had said you had a bag of yum yums :-D ;-)

Is that like doing sloe gin Sylvia?

Jar,kumquats,brandy,sugar?

oh great and I'm already halfway across the Atlantic.

sorry, Errol



have eaten all last year's lot, and have not yet made this year's

I think I had them in syrup in a Chinese restaurant once but have always eaten them raw otherwise.

I'm on my way to Sylvia's