Kumquat
Citrus japonica · Citrus
Top 10 pairings
The kumquat (Citrus japonica) is a thumb-tip-sized citrus eaten whole, skin and all — and uniquely among citrus, that thin rind is sweet and perfumed while the few segments of flesh inside are sharply sour, so a single fruit delivers a sweet-then- tart burst in one bite. Borne on small, frost-hardy evergreen shrubs native to southern China, the bright-orange ovals are eaten fresh, candied, simmered into marmalade and dropped whole into cocktails.
Picking a good onedrag
Taut, glossy, oil-slickWrinkled, soft, scent gone
Shop firmEveryday bestThe all-rounder: raw, sliced into salads, dropped in a drink.
SkinOrange with a green shoulder, still tight
In the fingersFirm, gives a shade under the thumb
Stem endCalyx gone, scar dry and pale
Scratched peelFragrant when rubbed, softer edge
What you get from one
93%
Edible part
19 g · skin and all, pips out
20 g
Weight each
each one
Keeping ittap a temperature
Handbook 66 files it with the chilling-sensitive fruits at 7-10 C, not fridge-cold: below about 7 C expect the peel to pit and brown.
85-95%
Humidity
Vented, not sealed
Airflow