Come here, my little kumquat

Your easy guide to the best holiday in Corfu Island

Kumquat Corfu

Introduced to Europe in the 1800s, the kumquat is native to China. In Cantonese, the kumquat is known as kin ku,’ meaning golden orange.’ It’s thought to bring good fortune and wealth to have a fruit-bearing tree in your house during Chinese New Year. Corfu, Greece, is known for its kumquat liqueur, and is the only place in Greece where the kumquat is grown.

Kumquats are orange in color and about the size of an olive. Being one of those unusual fruits that many are unsure how to eat, people tend to shy away from them. The entire fruit is edible, rind and all. The sweet part is the peel, whereas the pulp is extremely tart “” or at least sour enough that the peel seems sweet in contrast. Some kumquats may have a bitter taste and usually have large seeds. If you roll the fruit between your fingers, this will release the essential oils in the kumquat and make it tastier. The Meiwa variety is considered the best to eat out of hand, since its pulp is much sweeter than other varieties.

Loaded with vitamin C, kumquats are a good source of potassium and calcium and are low in calories, about 60 calories per half cup of sliced kumquats. Eating the skins, you will also benefit from the limonoids they produce.

How to Select: Kumquats are highly perishable, so look for bright orange skins with no the soft spots or blemishes.

How to Store: You can leave kumquats on the counter; however, they will spoil much quicker, in about a week. It’s best to store in the refrigerator, where they should last for about three weeks.
Source: santacruzsentinel.com