Welcome back to The Stone Soup Cook–I’m glad you’re here!
It’s kumquat season! If you’ve never had one, kumquats are mother nature’s version of jelly beans–tart, sweet–one perfect little mouthful!
I was first introduced to kumquats when Mr. Stone Soup and I were visiting a beautiful bed and breakfast/winery up in Napa for a wedding anniversary many years ago. The B & B was located way up in the hills, far away from city hustle-bustle; they had a gorgeous pool, the breakfasts were lavish and the wines were delicious. Best of all, they had a large professional kitchen that guests were encouraged to use in order to not have to drive up the long, winding roads in the dark after dinner. There was really no need to leave the property 🙂
The first time we stayed there, I cooked our dinner in the professional kitchen and the proprietors joined us, which was quite a treat. They brought some of their wine and we all stayed up way too late talking and laughing. The next morning, Mr. Stone Soup and I stumbled our way into the common room and we, along with the rest of the guests, were treated to a lavish breakfast of eggs, freshly made bread, pastries, a wonderful fruit salad that included, among other things, kumquats, and lots of coffee. I had never had a kumquat, and I was fascinated by the little round orbs of happiness! He tried one and immediately re-deposited it onto his fork and back onto his plate. I, however, loved them–and I particularly loved the way they tasted along with a bite of fresh mango. I picked all the kumquats off Mr. Stone Soup’s plate and went back for a second helping of the salad.
Other than just popping them into my mouth whole, sliced up in a fruit salad is still probably my favorite way to enjoy kumquats:
All that day, I could still taste the kumquats on my tongue–I don’t know how to describe it, but they, like other citrus, contain a natural oil. The kumquat oil stuck with me and I wanted to experience that flavor again. Kumquats, are, I’m afraid, an acquired taste and one that Mr. Stone Soup has never managed to acquire. They are small–about 1-1.5″ in length and about the size of a large grape or green olive. Every bit of the fruit is edible: the skin is very sweet and the inside fruit is very (and I mean VERY) sour. The seeds are edible, also, but are a little bitter. I prefer to remove the seeds and eat the skin and fruit, which, when combined, make for a satisfyingly tart-sweet treat.
There are a few types of the fruit that are pretty common: Nagami, which are oval, and Meiwa and Marumi, which are round and sweeter than the Nagami. I prefer the round type, but I’m not sure if it’s the Meiwa or the Marumi.
In addition to being one of my favorite seasonal treats, kumquats are also good for you! They are very high in vitamin C, containing twice as much vitamin C as oranges. In fact, one serving of kumquats (about 5 pieces) provides almost 70% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C! They are also high in fiber (about 7 grams of fiber per serving), they contain vitamin A, some protein, calcium and magnesium.
Several years ago, I hosted a church social, and a parishioner, Chris, brought a bowl of kumquats. At the end of the evening, the bowl was still half full and I asked him if I could take them home. Chris readily agreed and said if I liked them that he would be happy to give me more, as his trees produces more than he and his wife could possibly consume. I took them home and was hooked for life. The kumquats Chris grows are large, round, juicy and sweet–probably either the Meiwa or Marumi variety. He only picks them at the peak of harvest, when they “fall off into his hand” and, well…oh my. That’s all I have to say! Delighted with how much I love them, Chris now generously provides me with several pounds during kumquat season.
As with any crop, some years are more abundant than others. But friends–I’m here to tell you that 2024 is an ABUNDANT year! Chris has already brought me 8-9 pounds of these juicy gems and he told me there are more to come. So it’s been a great year to experiment with preparations other than just gobbling them up out of hand. In future posts, I’ll share recipes for kumquat marmalade, kumquat chutney, pickled kumquats and candied kumquats, as well as brandied kumquats, so stay tuned!
Until then,
Peace, love and good food,
Keri
