So - another of the bonsai has born fruit. This one is the calamondin orange, which is lovely and bitter and incredibly fragrant. Made an exceptionally delicious garnish for a gin & tonic. When the others on the tree ripen I am thinking about either preserving them in brandy or making a tiny pot of marmalade with quartered fruits.
12 comments:
It looks a bit like a Kumquat. I like you're brandy idea, sounds delicious.
About the same size as a cumquat but tastes quite different.
What is the origin? is it a citrus?
Having done a batch of cumquat marmelade I made spiced candied cumquats with the late harvest fruit. (Based on a Maggie Beer recipe.) Great as a fruit side dish with pork.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamondin wiki says it is probably a cross between a mandarine and a cumquat.
I made spiced miniature tangarines last year (Delia recipe) which were so good with charcuterie that I'll do them again if I can. But the calamondin probably won't go that far...
gin and tonics are quite possibly my favorite drink. my British granny introduced them to me when I was 10, and I have been hooked ever since. I am going to have to email you to get your mailing address, b/c I will definitely scan and send you a copy of the Pollan's signature. You can slip the page inside your book and no one will know the difference!
What a perfect little orange citrus fruit. Interesting that it is the same as calamansi. I have had calamansi and calamansui juice but they have always had a green skin on them when I have tried them. Great post!
That is too cute, sort of like an orange for a Barbie doll.
The frozen lemon mousse was not difficult and was actually for a family birthday party for 36 people in Napa and it was wonderful. I had been testing it beforehand and was gone for 5 days working on the party.
Foodycat, preserving in brandy? You caught my attention. That calamondin orange is so cute. I bet it has an incredible taste. I'd love to hear what you do with the preserved (in brandy) orange. Great post.
What a perfect fruit. I have a newfound enthusiasm for de-weeding the fruit and vege garden and preparing for the summer fruiting.
It does look like a Kumquat! But I'll believe you when it says it doesn't taste like one. Great ideas for them. Isn't it so fun to use stuff you grew?! Can't wait, my little darling babies are just sprouting up!
Ali - I don't think a Friday afternoon is quite right without a G&T. And since good gin has a citrus note to it anyway these little calamondin's are perfect.
Deb - Ours stayed greenish for ages before this one turned. I was busting to try it still green.
Amber - A big birthday like that sounds fantastic. I will definitely try the mousse.
Teresa - I think eating the fruit with icecream and drinking the brandy, don't you?
Cranky - hopefully you will have a better summer for growing stuff than we've had.
Garlic - it is a bit sweeter than a cumquat, but it still has skin that is sweeter than the flesh.
Thanks Ben! Photogenic little things, aren't they?
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