Kumquats!

  Yesterday with the messy weather setting in for the weekend, I figured it was a kumquat kind of day.  I scurried myself out at daybreak before the weather turned for the worse and picked 2 1/2 (give or take a bit) of the tiny, marble-sized fruit from the trees.  This is no easy task as the trees are full of 2 inch long thorns and are quite tall.  My trusty stepladder and I had quite the battle against the rising winds but I managed.  Then came the task of washing, chopping and seeding the little rascals! THAT took forever!  I was so happy that Son came along just at the right time to help.  Between the two of us, the chore did not seem as tedious.  Once every last kumquat was in the cookpot, the whole slew was set to boil for a bit.  The peels take a while to become tender.  Even without sugar, the syrupy fruit smelled divine!  After cooking, the pot was allowed to "set for a spell"...or, in the case, overnight.  At 4am, I set the pot to boiling again, added the sugar and brewed up quite a nice batch of marmalade!  Oh, the eating shall be good! 

  Kumquats are some of those things that I have in a love/hate relationship.  They are a pain to pick and an equally tedious chore to chop and seed.  For only being about an inch in diameter, these things are full of seeds!  Son has no problem just munching down the seeds along with his kumquat but I prefer to deseed mine.  I had fully made a decision to NOT pick the fruit this year as I have far too many jars of jams and jellies on the pantry shelves as it is....but..."waste not, want not" kept roiling through the head.  Added to this, Son had mentioned that he had a craving for buttermilk biscuits and marmalade. 

  Now that these are all finished, I keep looking at the 3 or 4 gallons of fruit that remain on the trees.  I suppose I shall be back out on the ladder again once the weather clears.  Before those can be cooked down, however, I shall have to make a run to the store for more sugar.  I have just about exhausted my stash.    Unless...unless there is something I can make without sugar...hmmm...I shall have to ponder this!  Any suggestions?