Kumquat: it’s a small citrus from China. The fruit can be eaten in many ways but most often it’s eaten whole, with the peel which is sweater than the inside. The inside of the fruit it sour and has quite big seeds. To get rid of the slightly bitter flavour, we should put the citrus into boiling water for 20 seconds. When we buy kumquats at the grocer’s, we should choose those which are plain and have springy skin. They should be kept in the room temperature for no longer than 5 days, or in the fridge for 3 weeks. Kumquat preserve tastes delicious and has a unique flavour and so do the liqueur and compote. This citrus fruit is low-cal and contains a lot of vitamin C and potassium. Combined with orient spices such as ginger, chilli or cinnamon they can serve as an excellent addition to various dishes and salads. They are also recommended to be added to drinks to sweeten the taste and make it more unique. Those evergreen shrubs can be cultivated in pots. They are resilient to low temperatures, but in order to produce fruit, they need the heat. The word “kumquat” literally means “golden orange”.
