In the blog about our Vegetable garden, we mentioned our Cumquat and Calamondin trees. Well, these trees have born so much fruit, during our harvest we started thinking on different ways to preserve this little citrus yumminess. We also learned that one can freeze the fruit for later use, thaw the day before and use it. They are fondly referred to as our Citrus Duo here at ChaZen.

More about the Kumquat – A kumquat isn’t much bigger than a grape, yet this bite-sized fruit fills your mouth with a big burst of sweet-tart citrus flavor. In contrast with other citrus fruits, the peel of the kumquat is sweet and edible, while the juicy flesh is tart.

And more about Calamondins – The Calamondins are small, tart fruits that are a cross between a sour, loose skinned mandarin and kumquat, and the size of a very small round lime (usually 25–35 mm (0.98–1.38 in) in diameter). The thin skin is smooth with many small, prominent oil glands and the flesh is orange, juicy, soft, speckled with many small, seeds.

This Citrus Duo is especially notable for its rich supply of Vitamin C and fiber. You get more fiber in a serving of them than most other fresh fruits ( USDA Food Composition Databases – Governmental authority). They also supply smaller amounts of several B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and zinc. The edible seeds and the peel provide a small amount of omega-3 fats. As with other fresh fruits, they are very hydrating. About 80% of their weight is from water. 

The high water and fiber content of this Citrus Duo makes them a filling food, yet they’re relatively low in calories. This makes them a great snack when you’re watching your weight.

We defrosted the harvest of 20 kg (44 lbs.) of fruits and decided on making some preserves like Marmalade and Chutney out of the fruit. We first started making marmalade which is great on Ciabatta toast.

From the ChaZen Bistro – Recipe for Cumquat Marmalade

Ingredients:

• 8 cups Chopped Citrus fruit with the skin on, but seeds removed
• 3 cups of water (depending on the juice content of the fruit, you may need to add less water)
• 1 cup 100 % Orange juice
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup brown sugar

Method:

1. Place the chopped fruit in a large stewing pot.
2. Add the water, orange juice, and lemon juice.
3. Bring to a quick boil. Turn down the heat, add the sugar and simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.
4. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
5. If the peel is not tender in 1 hour, continue to simmer until tender.
6. Let the mixture cool down and let sit for 18 hours in a cool room or fridge.
7. Sterilize your canning jars.
8. Heat the marmalade mixture until hot.
9. Remove from heat and ladle hot marmalade into hot jars leaving ¼ inch headspace.
10. Place on the tops and process with the Boiling Water Method for 10 minutes. (https://pickyourown.org/water_bath_canning_directions.php).  

Store and enjoy this citrus yumminess.