SippitySup

Last Call- Kumquacello Gelee

kumquat geleeMy Kumquacello is done. Fini. Terminé. Complet.

We had another tasting and again it did not fare well with my friends. I served it at the end of a small dinner party and I was the only person who liked it just as it was. 

It might suffer from the ugly child syndrome. Maybe I am like one of those parents who show you a picture of their still puckered up infant, or their gangly teen-ager and say ‘isn’t he adorable?”

“Yeah, a real heartbreaker”, is always my safe answer.

Well maybe my kumquacello is some version of a “heartbreakingly” endearing offspring. Of course I love it, because I just spent 8 weeks making it! But it seems nobody else can embrace its charms.

But honestly. I think it’s delicious. I really do. So we will never really know the answer. It’s probably my stunningly sophisticated palate. It gets me every time…

But, you should have heard some of the remarks. Mostly non-committal. But I am not stupid. I can read between the lines. Even though people’s “suggestions” about what I could do with my kumquacello made me mad, they did get me thinking.

kumquacello a kumquat liqueurMy kumquacello could be a fabulously exotic ingredient in something. A cocktail is the obvious choice. A bit too obvious for me. I could do a cold minted pea soup with a kumquacello gremolata. But I am afraid the kumquacello would get lost. I could simply macerate some berries in it. A dessert does seem like a good idea. I mean I always intended this to be an after supper sipper.

But I need a dessert that brings out what everybody seems to love about my kumquacello. And that is it’s bright, sparkling, crystal clear, splash of brilliant orange color.

I shall do a gelée! A Kumquacello Gelée! A refreshingly cool, end of meal, palate cleanser…imagine following this with a cheese course. I am brilliant!

I’ll pair the kumquacello with Lillet. The dainty, sweet liqueur will compliment kumquacello’s darker, herbal bitterness. I’ll add a splash of Prosecco and some extra bling with sparkling water. If this does not capture and delight all the doubters out there, then I don’t know what I’ll do.

I guess I could go sit in my room, behind closed doors. Quietly quaffing my strange bitter liqueur. Becoming strange and bitter all by myself. 

But on second thought, I think I’ll enjoy it outside. In the garden. By the pool. In the shimmering golden light of day. I don’t care what the neighbors say. 

Besides all the more gelée for me.
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SERIOUS FUN FOOD

Greg Henry

SippitySup

This also my entry in this week’s “Friday Shoot-Out”. The subject is Gardens. This is my garden in Los Angeles! Chef E made me do it!