The MGS Forum
Our gardens, a month-by-month pictorial diary of what's looking good now => Our Gardens => Topic started by: MikeHardman on January 18, 2012, 06:14:13 PM
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Its only a little one, but it has gorgeous fruit;
we're very fond of it;
the fruit are of just the right size - such that one is not quite enough!
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It looks very healthy. Do you only eat them raw or cook with them as well?
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Ah - you can't see the citrus leaf miner!
I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't be referring to that as CLM, much as I refer to red spider mite as RSM. A sign of familiarity, albeit unfortunate. (RSM was a persistent problem for me growing violets and pansies under glass when I lived in England.)
We only eat them raw. Never thought of cooking with them, but thanks for the idea. These ones are not tart; they are just perfectly sweet/acid.
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Probably nice with some sort of salad. Much in the same way as I like to use bought strawberries when they are quite hard and not very sweet, they are lovely sliced with fresh young spinach and a balsamic vinegar dressing.
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I planted a kumquat in Halkidiki some years ago, but it did not survive, it was probably too exposed and windy. It was grafted on a Seville orange tree, however, which survived, my friendly neighbour pruned into a very nice shape. The tree is still quite small, but healthy, and produces oranges that are perfect for a very tasty marmelade. It would have been nice to have a kumquat, but I am very pleased with what I got.
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I have seen a good range of Citrus fruits on Crete including occasionally kumquats though generally on the north side in more sheltered sites. Oranges are very common at low altitudes in the north west of Crete south of Platanias.
Here in London in sheltered gardens nearer to the centre lemons do quite well and produce fruit though most probably Meyer's lemon.
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I have a good recipe for crystalising kumquats (I've used it for fruits from our own tree a couple of times), but it does involve boiling in the syrup you make day after day for a couple of weeks so is quite laborious. If anyone wants it email me - but I shan't be able to send it as it's at home in England, and we're in Greece at the moment.
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all good stuff - thanks for the comments!
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I don't have a Kumquat tree but my boyfriend has a dwarf one on his veranda. He usually makes them in syrup. As far as I remember you need to cange the water every 8-9 hours for 3 days and then you need you to boil them with the syrup. If anyone wants I can send the recipe. In Corfu where they traditionally grow Kumquats they make a nice liquer as well!!
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I used to have kumquat in a pot in Norway, and once I made a very nice liqueur as well, I added a few coffe beans while the fruits were soaking in alcohol.
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Kumquats make the most delicious marmalade and it's really worth trying. It's easy to make as there's no need to remove the pips and pith unless you're very, very fussy! I always add extra lemons to my marmalade as I like it to zing and if your kumquats are on the sweet side this is certainly worth doing to make sure it doesn't become overly sweet.
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I think there are a few of you here that can post recipes, even when you get home Alisdair.