Oven Frustrations & Kumquats
1. Having just moved, I have to get used to a new oven, which of course, is anything but new. I baked some cookies, which I've made tons of times back in the States, and this time they were nearly black on the outside & still mushy on the inside. Yes, I know "you had the heat too high". But then, I have 10 oven settings (1-10). My guidebook says that number 6 is 325-450 degrees Fahrenheit. Uh, what?! How am I supposed to accurately cook anything that way? How does anybody do it? Well, so, needless to say I have a lot of experimenting ahead of me. I've managed to make shortbread, yogurt cakes and other food with decent results, so I suppose I'll figure this one out eventually, too.
2. Kumquats. Ever had one? They are small orange citrus fruits with a sweet exterior (contrary to any other rind I've ever come into contact with) and a rather acidic interior (similar to other citrus fruits). The first one I ever tried, I peeled. WRONG. Do not attempt this at home. You get all the acidic part, with nothing to cushion the blow. And mind you, the fruit is roughly the size of your thumb - why bother with a thumb-sized fruit you have to peel? So, someone convinced me to try eating a whole one, and I love it! They are quite scrumptious, and are currently my favorite fruit (especially considering that not much else seems to be 'in season' at the moment).
So, if you can get ahold of a kumquat, after washing the skin off, go ahead and try it. If not, yet another reason to come visit us!!!
Comments
Persimmons are quite nice too, though you may not be able to get them as far south as you are. The trick to eating persimmons is to wait until they are rotten and disgusting looking. Then they are ready. I mean, dissolved rotten. But, boy, are they good!
Posted by: Maman | January 26, 2004 02:33 PM
Persimmons are quite nice too, though you may not be able to get them as far south as you are. The trick to eating persimmons is to wait until they are rotten and disgusting looking. Then they are ready. I mean, dissolved rotten. But, boy, are they good!
Posted by: Maman | January 26, 2004 02:33 PM
Oops, sorry about that. Still getting used to the technology.
Posted by: Maman | January 26, 2004 02:34 PM
When we first moved into 6305 Iroquois Trail, when there were still Playboy centerfolds up in the darkroom, there were some sugar preserved kumquats in a bag on the shelves. I don't know if they came with the house or if Maman and Papa got them.
But I know I ate them. And they were yummy! Fresh kumquats can be bought in bulk, in Virginia, in the grocery store. Oddly, they are always in a strange section of the store that has the follwing items: shallots, snap peas, exotic musshrooms, tomatillos, brussel sprouts, ginger and kumquats. It doesn't matter if it's a Giant or a Safeway or a Food Lion, those items will be packaged together in display in the corner.
Anyway, at their wedding, instead of serving gin and tonics, Bj and Meredith served a drink they dubbed the Fortunella, made with kumquat instead of lemon or lime. The kumquat is from the fortunella family and not the citrus family.
-Nathan
Posted by: Nathan Dornbrook | January 26, 2004 11:09 PM
Actually, it is the same family as a citrus, and is from the Fortunella genus [Kumquats make up the genus Fortunella of the family Rutaceae]. Did you know the name comes from the Chinese 'gam-gwat'? gam - gold + gwat citrus fruit. (or, in the Oxford: [Cantonese dialect] kam kwat - little orange)
Posted by: Mara | January 27, 2004 09:00 AM
Hey, thanks for that!
I do think the peels can get a bit bitter after a few kumquats, so sometimes I cut them in half and squeeze them. It would take a lot to be able to get juice, though!
When I was out in San Jose, I met up with Laura. While over at her place, I noticed that she had a kumquat bush. It turns out that it was ornamental - she didn't even know you could eat them.
It's late in the season for kumquats, so they were exceptionally sweet and tasted a bit like tangerines.
They also had a lemon tree. I'm jealous. It would be wonderful to have fresh citrus fruit just in my back yard!
Posted by: Nathan Dornbrook | January 27, 2004 02:34 PM