Kumquat

What it is

Nagami is oval, orange outside and light orange within, typically about 3.2 cm (1¼ in) long. Its flesh has a sharp, sour taste. Meiwa is almost round, with a thicker layer of sweet peel and only a few seeds.

The rind is part of the fruit’s flavor, so kumquats go straight into the mouth whole. Their seeds are bitter, much like orange seeds.

Where it comes from

Kumquats come from southern China and are grown especially in China, Japan and Taiwan. Robert Fortune brought them to London in 1846. In the United States, growing regions include California, Florida and Texas; in southern India, high elevations suit the crop.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Penang and Singapore, preserved kumquats are a familiar preparation. Singapore also displays kumquat trees at Chinese New Year as a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

On the Greek island of Corfu, whole kumquats simmer in syrup to make spoon sweets. The fruit also flavors mandolato, a nougat. Kumquat liqueur gets its flavor from fruit steeped in alcohol and is traditionally served after a meal.

How it's grown

A kumquat grows as a compact tree, reaching up to 5 m (16 ft), with fragrant white flowers. Growers commonly graft it onto trifoliate orange: the kumquat’s top grows on another citrus plant’s roots. A single tree can bear a crop because its flowers can pollinate themselves.

When and where you'll find it

In Florida, kumquats usually mature from October through March. South Australia’s farmers’ market season runs the other way around the year, usually from April through October. There, they appear among the autumn, winter and early-spring fruit.

Fresh kumquats are eaten whole. Preserved fruit is another way to meet them in Penang and Singapore, while Corfu turns the harvest into bottled liqueur and whole-fruit sweets in syrup.