Day 119

Kumquat: After a long day on the road coming home from NC, I was almost home when I realized that I had no new foods to blog about today. I did some looking in some various convenience stores on the way, but those efforts were fruitless. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when the GF texted me and said she'd picked me up a few new things at Your Dekalb Farmer's Market. I would have had to drag my tired bones out to a grocery store to look for something tonight if not for that, so to her, thanks! When she said she'd bought some kumquats, I was extremely interested. I've heard of them many times, but never had the chance to try.

At first glance, each tiny fruit looked like a miniature orange, but a little less round. The box's label described them as "nature's sweet tarts," so I figured they'd be a bit sour. The instructions advised eating them whole except for the seeds, and also said they had a "sweet peel, with tart pulp." The GF cut one of them in half, scooped out the seeds, and handed me a piece.

After popping it in my mouth, I was immediately shocked by the sourness - "nature's sweet tart" was a bit of an understatement. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to finish it, but after chewing for a second, the sourness was balanced out by the rind's sweetness. It reminded me of an intensely sour orange - that's the best comparison I can come up with. Not bad, but if you have a low tolerance for sour flavors (which I apparently do), be warned. The GF liked them much more than I did, so I hope she can help me finish them.

Other than being eaten on their own, I don't know much about what kumquats are used for. If anyone knows more about them, please feel free to chime in...