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Care for a Kumquat, Katie?

(If you can say that three times fast, I bow to you.)

For the first week of my challenge, I picked up a new (to me) fruit at Whole Foods: Kumquats.  They certainly didn’t look scary.

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After googling the mini fruits (seriously, what did we do before Google?), I discovered that one is actually supposed to eat the skin.  So, I took a bite, skin and all.

Oh HOLY SOURNESS!  Remember Warheads?  Well, these kumquats are like Mother Nature’s version of  the popular candies.  The skin, itself, is sweet.  But beware the flesh!

Published on April 30, 2009

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45 Comments

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  1. Jessica says

    Ohhh I always see those at the store but I’ve never tried them. This time of year I see all kinds of cool new fruits/veggies at the farmer’s market. This will be lots of fun 🙂

  2. Simon says

    I had to try kumquats a lot of times before I finally figured out that they taste good. But I think you have it backwards; the skin is sour, and the inside is sweet. A friend recommended not eating them whole but rather smashing them up with sugar and sparkling water to get a kumquat soda. They’re good like that too.

  3. coco says

    dear dear!!! these are common fruits in China but people don’t eat it raw, they usually make preserves with it or marinate it in honey and lemon and then make tea with it. 🙂

  4. Coconutgal says

    I thought about trying kumquats, but the produce guy at WFoods warned me, he was like “You won’t like them, they are SO sour” Now I’m glad I believed him and put them back!
    Ok it took me a second to figure out how on earth your cauliflower mash was purple…. I was like um Katie, are you sure you weren’t using cabbage?!
    I’ve never seen purple cauliflower before but I do make this mash all the time, its so yummy!!!

  5. Nora says

    what! i ADORE kumquats! one of my fav fruits! the ones i usually eat are equally sweet as they are sour. i’m actually planning on baking a citrus bread using kumquats tmo morning! maybe you’d like that better…

  6. Meg says

    Katie! I’ve seen those little things in the grocery store and I’ve ALWAYS been so curious about them! I figured they’d taste like little oranges, but I guess not 😉 Haha thanks for the warhead warning! Hope you’re having a lovely day!

    Love, Meg

  7. Erin says

    My boyfriend bought those once because he likes to try new things, and I couldn’t decide if I liked them or not! I haven’t bought them since, so probably not. They are interesting, and so sour! But the inside is so delicious. A connundrum indeed.

  8. laci says

    You’ve inspired me to want to try new foods! (other than vegan sweets, haha) I’ve never had Kamquats- I don’t think I plan to even though I (am one in a million) who likes the taste of lemons! 🙂 (especially squeezed into tea with some agave nectar!)

  9. Sarah C. says

    Don’t throw them out, just make some kind of sweetened compote with them. If you stew them with sugar (and I’m going to guess a spritz of lemon juice), or even look up a recipe for cooked kumquats, you might like them and won’t have wasted food!

  10. Diana (Soap & Chocolate) says

    Well you get snaps for trying kumquats in the first place. I don’t know that I would have done the same! I do think that produce is a great place to start for new foods, though. I just learned about ramps on Tri to Cook – never knew about those before!

  11. Shelby says

    I’ve always wanted to try kumquats! I think the name of them is just too funny.

    Love your purple cauliflower!!!

    I just tried a new food today, I will be blogging about it tonight =)

  12. Marianne says

    Hmm, I’m still curious about the kumquats. I do like me some sour food, perhaps I would enjoy them.

    And I totally thought you had blended up some purple cabbage in that photo, possibly with some grains. Which, might not be a bad idea!

  13. Christina says

    I love this challenge! Already have next week’s new food picked out 🙂 It’s crazy kumquats are supposed to be eaten with the skin. I wouldn’t have guessed that!

  14. Vegan on Stage says

    im not the biggest fan of those little guys.. but theyre not bad at all!!!!

    i cant wait to see what you try next!!! I tried Kombucha today… I LOVE IT!!!

    -thanks for the happy birthday girlie 🙂

  15. Vegyogini says

    Oh, no, I LOVE kumquats! I just re-visited them on Sunday at the Veggie Pride Parade and then had to run out and buy a box for myself. I snacked on them last night and brought some with my lunch today. I understand why they’d be too sour for some people’s palates, though. Thank goodness for a vast selection of fruits and veggies in this country!

  16. legallyvegan says

    I’ve always wondered about kumquats! But now I’m not going to bother because I don’t really care for sour stuff. Can’t wait to see what you try next!

  17. Eddie G says

    I love kumquats! Well–come to think of it, I’ve only had them once…and I *was* chasing them with lychee martinis at a Chinese New Year’s party…but they were fun to eat 🙂

  18. Crystal says

    I’ve had kumquats in a salad once..they were fine that way. And I also tried a new food today. ;P Its on my blog if you’re interested.

  19. ohonemorething says

    Definitely try guava. I heated mine up today in the microwave. I was reading their nutritional info and a serving has 56% DV of fiber. CRAZY!

  20. burpexcuzme says

    kumquats! they’re supposed to be really good in healing flu and stuff, esp with honey and made into tea! I am really liking your new foods challenge…it’s nice to venture out a bit and be more adventurous with food! there are a billion different things out there, it’s boring to stick with the same kinds of food over and over again!

  21. Sweetie Pie says

    I can’t just munch on kumquats whole, but I like them thinly sliced and tossed into a salad. I feel like they are inside out fruits. If nothing else, they are really pretty. 🙂

    I love the bowl of purple mash!!

  22. Kiersten says

    I’ve never tried kumquats before (but I do love their name). I don’t think I’d like them very much if they are as sour as you claim. I prefer my fruits to be sweet!

  23. itstartedwithafish says

    Oi ! Kumquats ! I beat you on that, I had them ages ago in cooking class ( and a kiwi, too, which I was afraid to try again, because my first try had been desastrous, taste-wise, – turned out, that the first time I had had the then novelty fruit I actually had had a rotten one, ha ! … which NOW makes me nervous about the pittahaya I have bought for the challenge…. what if THIS is gone off as well ????)

    Katie, your challenge is turning out to be a real challenge for me !!!

  24. itstartedwithafish says

    heck, what I wanted to say was… maybe the kumquats hadn’t reached their height of ripeness yet ? Because what I meant to tell you was, though I recall sourness, they were really well-balanced sweet and sour little buggers, the kummies, fruity perfection… as was the kiwi my teacher forced me to eat .
    I am forever grateful to Frau Espe for being so persistent!

  25. hypki says

    Hey Katie,

    I just tried Barney Butter, almond butter for the first time this morning. I’ll be honestly, I liked the texture, it was nice and creamy, but the taste wasn’t nearly what I was hoping for.
    My raw almond butter that I make is better, and TJs almond butter is much better. I didn’t hate it, but I would not buy a jar of it over another almond butter.
    Guess it can’t always be a good experience with new foods!

    Have a great weekend!

  26. shepidemic says

    I’ve always been curious about kumquats, but now at least I have some idea what they taste like! Sour isn’t my particular favorite either, so I’ll probably avoid them. Kiwis, however, ARE to die for. Have you ever tried starfruit?

  27. Elle says

    ooooh kumquats! lovely start to the challenge indeedy – my family and i always eat ONLY the skin and use the fruit as one would use lemon juice (it’s certainly equally sour!) the skin is so lovely and citrusy and tart, and a symbol of good luck for the chinese. 🙂 can’t wait for more!

  28. Cecilia says

    OOHHH kumquats …. squezze a lil bit into cold sprakling mineral water + drop in some stevia (optional) >> enjoy … it’s really good that way. I think kumquats are not good to be eaten as a whole fruit – i think its best to treat it as lemons 😉

  29. sara says

    I’m eating a kumquat raw right now. I love them. It is, in fact, the inside that is sour and the peel that is sweet. They taste like a sweet tart candy with some bitterness.

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