The Japanese have a drug for mosquito bites?

"I don't even bring 'em home anymore. I just sit there laughing and they go to waste." - G. Carlin

I love kumquats, buy them whenever i run across them. Besides being yummy, they're lots of fun to share. I have the best luck finding them in Korean grocery stores.

I dig 'em. Although it is a little odd eating a whole citris fruit peel and all. Someone should GM oranges to have the same tasty peel!

The jealousy sets in... via Twitterverse

xenijardin
My friend @seanbonner and I are about to have breakfast with @DieAntwoord. Eggs, Zef Side up.

I used to put a few of them in my pockets when I go running and eat one every couple of miles. The citrus taste and sweetness gives a good boost, at least mentally. They're quite convenient to carry. The problem though is that they're seasonal so I couldn't rely on them year around when I go running.

I love them sliced and in ice water. It's also a great "kid" sized tree, as it grows slow. I remember picking them as a kid and sort-of claimed the tree as my own.

There are other quats, leading me to the question what makes a "quat" as in "loquat", "kumquat" and "limequat"?

That lead me to this
The English name "kumquat" derives from the Cantonese pronunciation gam1 gwat1 (given in Jyutping romanization; Chinese: 金橘; pinyin: jīnjú; literally "golden orange"). The alternate name 柑橘, also pronounced gam1 gwat1 in Cantonese (gān jú in Mandarin, literally "large tangerine orange") is now more commonly written by Cantonese speakers. Or maybe it comes from "kim quật". from answers.com

Juice em and use the juice to make kumquat-curd (like lemon-curd, only 12 times tastier).

I just picked some up at Trader Joe's this week. I love the rind - fragrant sweetness after initial bitterness - but the pulp was really sour. I feel like I've had a much sweeter kumquat before, so maybe these weren't ripe enough? Anyway, I candied the ones I got and they turned out spectacular. They also have tons of pectin, because the syrup set up like a mofo.

I lived in Southern California for many years, and there was a beautiful Kumquat tree in the back yard. My wife and I didn't use them for anything but a Chinese neighbor did, and she would come over every year and pick the tree clean. In return, she would give us a lacquered box of loose leaf Oolong tea; we still have the boxes. The tea, sorry to say, is long gone.

I'm with George Carlin, I can't say the word without giggling like a school girl.

What of Mr Muckle's kumquats?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5AjSGrZbxw

Kumquats!

Can't believe nobody's mentioned the fact that there's two very different types of kumquats. The most popular kind is what everyone here is familiar with and is available in stores, grocery stores, and most farmer's markets (albeit seasonally as noted). When I was a kid in Florida, we had a kumquat tree and it's fruit wasn't sour like all the ones I tasted after I grew up. It took me many long years (well, at least until the internets came around) to find there is a type called Meiwa which isn't the tart/sour bomb we all know and love. It's fruit is quite lovely, not sweet like an orange, but not sour like a lemon either. Hard to find and very seasonal. I eventually found a friend back in Florida who's parents have a tree in their backyard. I now collect my yearly fill from them when I visit for the holidays. The trees are available from specialty fruit tree vendors and run about $75-$100. A great gift idea I'd say!

Man, some good ideas here in the comments. Kumquat curd, mmmm.

Getting good ones makes a big, big difference. The kumquats I used to eat off our trees in Florida: food of the gods. Every kumquat I've ever bought in a grocery store in the northeast: not food at all.

I had amazing freeze-dried kumquats in Switzerland once. I really wish I could find them in the US.

The famous kumquat scene in "It's A Gift", still cracks me up today. "I want kumquats!!"

Here 'tis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Av8CCSzgc

I've read and believed that Kumquats are not citrus, although a quick check shows mixed results.

They taste like 3000 oranges squeezed into the size of a grape...

My mouth started watering the instant I saw the picture. It's been too long since I've snacked on kumquats.

My favorite way to eat Kumquats is Kumquat pie. It is very similar to a key lime pie, but with kumquats. It is the most popular thing at the Dade City festival (which is where I got hooked on it). The recipe for it is online at the kumquat growers website.

Key West Shrimp and Kumquats

Into a large sauteuse over medium high heat add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 1 tablespoon of fresh crushed garlic and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Sauté the garlic for 20 seconds.

Add one pound of peeled and deveined large Key West Pink Shrimp -16/20 count. Sauté the pinks until they are semi opaque.

Add two tablespoons of butter and a dozen Kumquats that are washed, stem scar removed and cut in half on the bias to the shrimp. Sauté the Kumquats for 1 minute.

Toss in ½ dozen fresh scallions cut thin on the bias and flame with 2 oz. of Grand Marnier.

Serve the Key West Shrimp and Kumquats overtop slices of fresh mango.

I've got a tree in my back yard. Besides marmalade, here's something for you to try:
1 lb kumquats. punch holes in them with a fork.
1 lb sugar
1 lb vodka
Put in a pickle jar, put it in a cool dark place. Stir daily until all the sugar melts. Remove the kumquats after 4 weeks - they are perfect to eat with some vanilla ice cream.
Let the liquor age 2-3 additional months. Enjoy.

I'll need to find a damn big pickle jar to hold a pound of vodka, a pound of sugar, and a pound of kumquats! How much vodka's in a pound, anyway?

I can't believe that nobody's commented yet on the way to tell if kumquats are ripe! If they float high in fresh water, they're ripe; if they start to sink, they're not ready to be consumed.

I think the saying is "A pint's a pound the world around." So figure slightly more than a pint for a pound of vodka.

"A pint is a pound the world around"

Most cook know, using the Avoirdupois system, "A pint is a pound the world around" – as it relates to water. The specific gravity of water is 1 and Skyy Vodka is .9498.

So a pound of Skyy Vodka is about a pint plus 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon.

I apologize for using your strange imperial units. It's actually 500 grams of each ingredient.
Also, @gobo - I have such a pickle jar, it's not that big.

I would assume that you could even use 174.9 grams of every ingredient, and it would still come out tasting exactly the same. You'd have less of it though.

This could possibly have been made easier by just saying "1 unit each of...", although I guess then you'd need to specify that you want a unit of weight, not volume.

That's same name and pronunciation but the medicine means "Gold Crown" = 「金冠」. The fruit is "Gold Citrus" = 「金柑」.

Here in Argentina we call them Kinotos and they are often made into a jam and mixed with a shot of whiskey to make ice cream.

Slice 'em fine, add to yogurt, possibly with some granola. Yum!

Kumquats are amazing - like inside out citrus fruits.
http://nutsaboutfruit.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-kumquat.html
Another interesting variation: The Mandarinquat http://www.friedas.com/index.cfm?show=products_detail&side=products&category=Fresh%20Specialty%20Fruits&id=501

a pint. 8 pints = 1 gallon=8 lbs

Kumquats are also grown in Greece (the only place in Europe where they are cultivated). Here is my recipe for a Greek kumquat spoon sweet: http://greekgourmand.blogspot.com/2008/05/kumquat-sweet-for-your-thoughts.html

Enjoy!

I just finished making kumquat, apple & grapefruit marmalade from Christine Ferber's book, Mes Confitures, and it's one of the most delicious jams I've ever made.

Don't know about the Japanese, but in the US there are diphenhydramine and hydrocortisone topical itch/allergy treatments (usually a gel and ointment, respectively). Plus any oral allergy med should work (although diphenhydramine/Benadryl seems especially effective -- and cheap, in the form of a 100-capsule bottle from Wal-Mart).

(Disclaimer: As the boxes say, you shouldn't take diphenhydramine orally and topically at the same time. Also, I'm not a medical professional -- you should take any medical advice I may give with a grain of salt.)

The best way to consume Kumquats - put three or four in the bottom of a tall glass, crush, add ice, gin and soda water. Enjoy on a nice warm summers day.

All you fancy pants silly recipes. I remember as a kid here in California my mom was nutty for Kumquats. I haven't even heard the word mentioned since my parents died 8 years ago and to hear it now brings back great mouth watering memories. My dad and I would sit at the kitchen table and gobble those things down. Great fun.

I love Kumquats but can not find them in any local fruit store or supermarket be it Morrison's or my local fruit shop.
So can any person tell me where I can buy this PLEASE.