Winter is on its way outyou can tell by the storms and hailbut before you bid adieu to citrus, hunt down some oh-so-cute kumquats at your local market. The tiny fruits started to appear at one of the markets we visit, and they should be around for a month or two. We've only seen the Meiwa variety, but the Nagami is more common. Both thrum with potent orange flavors, but kumquat gurus prefer the Meiwa's taste.
Want a handy snack? Rinse whole kumquats and then pop them into your mouth, skin, seeds, and all. The eye-crossing acidity and aromatic flesh remind us of Sweet-Tarts, but without the sugar and weird flavorings. If you want kumquats on your dinner plate, cut them crosswise into pretty pinwheels. Tease out the hard seeds as you go so you don't dull your knife, and add them to your meals.