To die for.
I've always been a fan of fruit, but there's something about kumquats that used to weird me out. I've come around and maybe these five facts will help you come to enjoy a kumquat as well. These fruits can be eaten skin and all, so look for organic kumquats, and wash them thoroughly before eating. They are like reverse oranges — the peel is sweet, and the pulp inside is sour. When you eat them Read more
One of my new favorite past-times is to head down to the farmer's market grab a bunch of tasty produce and relax in the sun at the Hog Island Oyster Company for a few oysters and a cool glass of bubbly. However, this weekend I had to get home to whip up some snacks for a friend's potluck birthday picnic, so there was no time for the bubbly. Not wanting to break my new tradition, I decided to have Read more
kumquat A small, oval, orange citrus fruit. The entire fruit (skin and flesh) is eaten, the skin is quite sweet and the inside is rather bitter. Many people actually eat the skin and discard the inside. You'll find kumquats sliced or zested raw over salads or as garnish, but you're more likely to find them candied, preserved or in marmalades. Read more
March is such an interesting time of year for seasonal eating: Fall and Winter fruits and veggies are still hanging around the markets, and fresh Spring produce is making an appearance as well. Soon you'll be stocking up on asparagus, artichokes, and strawberries, but consider taking advantage of the last vestiges of the colder season while you still can with tiny, sweet-tart kumquats.The Read more
Kumquats are in season now through April, and while they're at their peak a little longer, I'm stocking up to use them in everything from salads to marmalades. My current favorite application? In a cocktail. To make this effervescent drink, muddle the kumquats to release their juices and aromatic oils. You'll find that the brightness from the citrus marries well with ginger syrup, which delivers Read more
In many regions of the country, finding a wide variety of beautiful blooms in the Winter months is sometimes challenging. Instead of sticking with the same mix of roses or carnations, fill out your bouquets with a variety of your favorite citrus instead. I particularly love the look of these gorgeous arrangements spotted on The FlowerSchool's blog. Head to green markets, farmers markets, or Read more
String gardens are essentially plants that are contained within a ball of peat moss and bonsai soil, and then wrapped in twine and moss. Plants used range from wheat grass to hydrangeas to kumquat trees and beyond. Hung from a ceiling of a room or outdoors along a trellis, they're surprising little treasures. While you can buy them at Pompon in Amsterdam (I spied this one at a pop-up shop in a Read more
Creed Fleurissimo has always been known as the fragrance created for Grace Kelly to wear at her royal wedding, but it's not the only scent inspired by the late princess. In 1966, Gucci designed the Flora scarf for Grace, and in 2009 Gucci came out with a same-name fragrance inspired by the woman and the fabric. I recently tried the newest member of the Flora fragrance family, Flora Eau Fraîche, Read more
Orange-toned goldenberries, also known as gooseberries or Incan berries, have been cultivated in South America for centuries and revered for their health benefits and mouth-puckering sweet and sour flavor. A handful of goldenberries provides a hefty dosage of antioxidants, and in traditional folk medicine practices, goldenberries are believed to help maintain a healthy weight, ward off disease, Read more
Over the weekend at the Food Network's South Beach Wine and Food Festival, I attended a packed demo led by Rachael Ray. The self-proclaimed "burger and taco girl" sipped a kumquat margarita while she made fish tacos and a French bistro-inspired burger in a slinky black dress. Instead of focusing on teaching the crowd how to cook, Ray declared that "we're going to have a nice chat," and invited Read more
