Dec. 30/12
Two weeks ago I began a preserving experiment—cumquats and clementines.
Today is the final day of the preserving process.
The Clementines
I put all but two into a jar along with one last syrup mixture. This can now sit, preserved.
Rick says that they look like shrunken heads so I doubt if he’ll be trying them.
I took a bite out of one of the extras. Interesting that you can now eat it like a peach, peel and all. Taste? Could be a little sweeter, if you ask me. But maybe the extra two days will make a difference. I doubt it though. I will have to find a recipe to use the clementines instead of eating them by the bite.
The Cumquats
The cumquats have been sitting in the fridge for the past two weeks, waiting for that trial bite.
Again, not as sweet as expected but it tastes like a cumquat with a little sugar on top, just mushier.
Will I do this again?
For the clementines: No … not because of the long process or the taste but because they are not locally grown. There are other fruits that I can preserve that can be grown locally, eliminating the need of shipping around the world. I will still purchase some yummy clementine treats each winter, but they will be just that – treats.
As for the cumquats… definitely. Although, eating one of the preserved fruit was not quite as good as one fresh off the bush, it was nice to just reach into the jar and pop one of those sweet-sour preserved into my mouth. This will be a nice way to preserve a harvest which is now more than I can eat by myself.
Overall
Overall, it was fun to check in on the clementines every other day and wait to see the results.
It was fascinating to see the effect on the peel.
Two thumbs up for the cumquats… next year, I’ll be trying the marmalade to see which method I prefer.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
6 comments so far
Karson
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214 posts in 2047 days
posted 171 days ago
Great trial and note your results.
-- Karson retired in DE e-mail karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
Iris43
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3695 posts in 1798 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 171 days ago
Thanks for the update, MsDeb. They look so-o good. I would be tempted to can them just for the beauty of them. LOL Bet they’d taste good with ice cream….....
-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'
MsDebbieP
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14075 posts in 2168 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 171 days ago
that’s what I’m thinking … or a sweet biscuit with some whip cream on top
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
Radicalfarmergal
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4046 posts in 1431 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 171 days ago
I wonder if this preservation technique would work to preserve Sea Buckthorn berries? I agree with Iris, the clementines look beautiful in that jar, but I also have to chuckle at Rick’s shrunken head comment. : )
-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi
MsDebbieP
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14075 posts in 2168 days
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posted 170 days ago
yah, he says that he can see the eyes ….
Interesting idea re: the berries.
I’ve tried three times to grow sea buckthorn: 1) the plant didn’t do anything and just died 2) three 12” plants were doing well until the dry July and I didn’t water them enough apparently … died… and 3) I had three seedlings started this fall (I’d found a packet of seeds I had put in the fridge) and they had started out well .. and then died recently. sigh.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
MsDebbieP
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14075 posts in 2168 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 168 days ago
OOPS
my computer did me wrong.. ok, I made a mistake when I added the preserving process to my computer’s calendar … I still have one more week to go!!
Now what? Have I stopped the process or can I start again … I still have a few more soaking steps to do.
No wonder they weren’t as sweet as I expected.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)