What are KUMQUATS and what do they taste like?

Question

What grocery store can i get them at?

Can I get Kumquats in Canada? If so, when is the BEST time to buy them?

Answer 1

it is citrus looks like small orangea or lemons
The actual fruit of the kumquat tastes horrible. It's much too sour to be considered a good snack. However, the skin of the kumquat is just moderately sour, and has a good citrus-y flavor.
at my state FL any where

Answer 2

You should be able to get Kumquats in your local Mega Mart in the Fresh Fruit section.

Kumquat

Definition: [KUHM-kwaht] This pigmy of the citrus family looks like a tiny oval or round orange. It's cultivated in China, Japan and the United States. The edible golden orange rind is sweet, while the rather dry flesh is very tart. The entire fruit--skin and flesh--is eaten, and very ripe fruit can be sliced and served raw in salads or as a garnish. The kumquat is more likely to be found cooked, however, either candied or pickled whole or in preserves or marmalades. Fresh kumquats are available from November to March. Look for firm fruit without blemishes. Refrigerate wrapped in a plastic bag for up to a month. Kumquats contain good amounts of potassium and vitamins A and C.

Answer 3

The kumquat or cumquat is a small fruit-bearing tree in the genus Fortunella. Its fruit (which is also called "kumquat") closely resembles those of the related genus Citrus, and, like that genus, it is also classified in the flowering plant family Rutaceae.

It is a slow-growing, evergreen shrub or small tree, from 2.5-4.5 m tall, with dense branches, sometimes bearing small thorns. The leaves are dark glossy green, and the flowers pure white, similar to citrus flowers, borne singly or clustered in the leaf-axils.

Kumquats originated in China (they are noted in literature dating to the 12th century), and have long been cultivated there and in Japan. They were introduced to Europe in 1846 by Robert Fortune, collector for the London Horticultural Society, and shortly thereafter into North America. Originally placed in the genus Citrus, they were transferred to the genus Fortunella in 1915.

There are four species currently accepted, including Hong Kong Wild Kumquat (Fortunella hindsii), Marumi Kumquat (Fortunella japonica), Meiwa Kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia), and Nagami Kumquat (Fortunella margarita).

The kumquat may be crossed with other members of the Rutaceae family, most notably Citrus and trifoliate orange. Some examples of Citrofortunella hybrids are the limequat, orangequat, and calamondin.

In appearance the kumquat fruit (generally called simply "kumquat") resembles a miniature oval or oblong orange, 3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. Depending on variety, peel color ranges from yellow to red. A Nagami kumquat has an oval shape, while a Marumi kumquat is round.

Kumquat fruit is generally in season from late November to February, and can be found in most food markets with other produce.

Kumquats are frequently eaten whole; the skin is sweet and the inner fruit tart. The juicy center is often too sour to eat; in this case it is thrown away after the rind is nibbled off and consumed. The fruit is considered ripe when it reaches a yellowish-orange stage, and has just shed the last tint of green. A variety of kumquat grown in Hong Kong has a rather sweet rind compared to the rinds of other citrus fruits.

Culinary uses include: candying and kumquat preserves, marmalade, and jelly. Kumquats appear more commonly in the modern market as a martini garnish, replacing the classic olive. They add a nice zest to a salad; just slice and toss them in. A liqueur can also be made by macerating kumquats in vodka or other clear spirit.

The Cantonese often preserve kumquats in salt. A batch of the fruit is buried in dry salt inside a glass jar. Over time, all the juice from the fruit is extracted through osmosis into the salt. The fruits in the jar become shrunken, wrinkled, and dark brown in color, and the salt combines with the juice to become a dark brown brine. A few salted kumquats with a few teaspoons of the brine/juice may be mixed with hot water to make a remedy for sore throats. A jar of such preserved kumquats can last several years.

Answer 4

What Are Kumquats

Answer 5

they are a very bitter (tart) fruit but i have had some kumquat jam and it was to die for..but of course it had a lot of sugar added... i think your large chain grocers would have them...

Answer 6

They're minature Oranges, and that is what they taste like, only a little sour. But they are very good.

Answer 7

they are yummy lil citrus things you can just pop them in your mouth peel and all if you want.. i love them

Answer 8

there small oranges they taste bloody awful

Answer 9

I don't know and don't care