KumquatFamily : Rutaceae

Scientist name : Citrus japonicaOther names : cumquat

Where Does It Come From?• The plant is native to Asia continent. They have been for long time

cultivated in Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and southeast Asia. They were introduced to Europe in 1846 by Robert Fortune, collector for the London Horticultural Society, and shortly thereafter into North America.

• They are slow-growing evergreen shrubs or short trees, from 2.5 to 4.5 meters (8 to 15 ft) tall, with dense branches, sometimes bearing small thorns

• Depending on size, the kumquat tree can produce hundreds or even thousands of fruits each year

What Does It Look Like?

This exotic fruit resemble an orange but it is much smaller and ovular being approximately the size and

shape of an olive.

The leaves are dark glossy green, and the flowers white, similar to

other citrus flowers, borne singly or clustered in the leaf-axils.

There 3 variety of Kumquat : the round kumquat also called Marumi Kumquat or Morgani kumquat); the oval kumquat (also called Nagami

Kumquat) and the Jiangsu Kumquat (or Fukushu Kumquat). The Jjiangsu

Kumquat is usually round but can also be bell shaped.

How To Use It?

Kumquats are often eaten raw. As the rind is sweet and the juicy centre is sour, the raw fruit is usually consumed either whole—to savour the contrast—or only the rind is eaten.

• Culinary uses include candying and kumquat preserves, marmalade, and jelly. In recent years kumquats have gained popularity as a garnish for cocktail beverages, including the martini as a replacement for the more familiar olive. Kumquats are also being used by chefs to create a niche for their desserts and are common in European countries.

• The Cantonese often preserve kumquats in salt or sugar. A batch of the fruit is buried in dry salt inside a glass jar. A few salted kumquats with a few teaspoons of the brine/juice may be mixed with hot water to make a remedy for sore throats.