the fruit that dare not speak it's name - again

Last time around, I told you how when the kumquats come in, I know that citrus season is on the right hand side of the bell curve. The Citrus Bomb has assured me that as long as she's got, I got, so that's nice to have "in the bag." But while the kumquats are here, let's play.

Now, I still stand by my view that straight men can't say this word. CB's hunky husband can, but I think we have to grant a double exception here. First of all , he's a citrus grower, so DUH. And second, he's from California. Ok, third. He's married to CB. To know CB is to know WHY this is so important to understand.

SO, onto kumquats. Last year, I posted a recipe for candying them. In fact, I posted two. And I like them both. But this year, I learned a new way , that is so much easier, that I want you to have this one. I'm sending it to CB as well.

I found this recipe in one of the Culinary Institute of America's cookbooks. I had gone there for the first time, with the intrepid Kevin (the inspiration for this blog), and his partner Chuck. In the bookstore, I found a coupla books that I "had to have." After all, you can never have enough cookbooks even if you never open them. Most of what I saw in the big cookbook was ho -hum. But wouldn't you know it, the book fell open to this recipe. And I tried it. Now, they're in the fridge, waiting to be put on a dessert when our friend Tobin comes over tomorrow. (NO JOKES about the dessert CB. I KNOW you read this).

Ok, let's candy some kumquats. Cut them in half, lengthwise, and fill a dry measuring cup until you have two cups worth. If you happen to see big ugly seeds jutting out, get rid of them, if you don't, don't start gouging the fruit for seed removal, it ain't worth it. Now, cover the fruit with cold water, and bring it to a boil, for a minute. Then pour off the water, and repeat this with fresh water, two more times.

While that's happening, make a syrup of 2.25 cups of white sugar, and a cup of water. This is heavy syrup. In fact, it is the heavy syrup of those ghastly cling peaches in heavy syrup we all had when we were kids. But ours is gonna be good.

When the fruit has been boiled the three times and the syrup is ready drop in the fruit. Bring it to a bare simmer, and then cook away at that bare simmer for - ready for this - AT LEAST an hour and a half. No joke. do something else, but do this. You'll be glad you did. When you're done, the skin will pierce easily. Let the fruit cool in the syrup.

If you leave the fruit under the syrup, it can stay forever. You will have more than you need though, so this is what I would suggest. I suggest you pour off half of it, and boil it, at a fairly high heat, until it's reduced by half. Now, you have a great dessert syrup for a plain cake, for a panna cotta (which is how I used it, ) or even for a kumquat soda. The candied fruit will continue to leak syrup too, and that's fine.

Now doesn't that sound like a great thing to put over vanilla ice cream, or the torso of your favorite ballet dancer (I know, I know. I never stop).

Lest you think that kumquats are just for decorating dancers, I will repeat my favorite use of them in salad. Cut off the tips on both ends, and then slice them thinly at an angle. You need about 3-4 per person, and a head of endive per person. Slice the endive thin, mix it with the raw kumquats, and make a fairly light, champagne vinegarry type of dressing.

You have a great salad there, that you can "enliven" with some strong bleu type cheese if you like, although it really doesn't need it.

As I said, last year, in May

kumquatkumquatkumquatkumquatkumquat