Kumquats

There are still loads of citrus fruits on the market here and with incredible selection available and my penchant for this family of fruits, who am I to resist the kumquat? Once, while living in Phoenix, after being inspired by a recipe in a magazine, I bought a bag full of kumquats that eventually went moldy in the fridge. This time, armed with the epicurious.com website, I set out to do something with them.

Given the challenges or my current kitchen- i.e. I lack most of my tools and a lot of ingredients- I decided to keep it simple. The simplest recipe out there has to be candied kumquats. You simply slice the fruit four times, extract the pits (and there are many), and add them to a solution of 1 cup water, to 1/2 cup of sugar (which has boiled to melt the sugar), and let them simmer for 15 minutes. Then you cool and refrigerate. I added them to my fruit and bran concoction at lunch, and it was delicious. The rind adds a very nice tang, and the sugar softens any of the bitterness sometimes found in the peel. I have one last piece of cake in the fridge that I am sure will be complemented by this fruit compote of sorts- can't wait.

If you have a fully equipped kitchen, and can get your hands on kumquats you should check this out. I'm always a little afraid of frying- and besides who needs the calories?- so I think that you could make crepes and heat them in the oven for a few minutes instead of using the spring roll skins. Let me know if you try it; they look positively decadent.