Recipe : Candied Kumquats

I enjoyed my candy oranges so much, that the other day, while eating kumquats with my daughter, I realized that we could try making candied kumquats.

I followed the same basic recipe as for the candied orange peel, slicing the kumquats into about 4 slices each, but since the kumquats are much thinner skinned, and already edible raw, I brought them to a boil only twice, for 4 minutes each, and boiled in the syrup for only 8 instead of 10 minutes. Even that cooked them pretty good, so when I turned them onto the sugar the first time, they were pretty soft. But they dried out nicely, and have a great flavour and consistency.

This time, I had my 5 year old son help me flip the slices in the sugar, but I wouldn't advise it. The slices are extremely hot, as I found out while trying to help along one which fell. Most kids of that age would not understand how hot, and I was fortunate that he was careful, and we had no mishaps.

He was very proud of his achievement, as I am of my two little candy makers.

Garden Painting Day 18 & 19 : Cat

It has been some while since I started on the cat in my garden painting, first colouring in basic sections (not worrying too much about colour at this point)...

...adding in some details of the back and paws...

...and then finishing up the face, chest and tail...

I was happy to usher in the New Year doing what I enjoy most (next to gardening, anyhow), and finish up the cat. I'm now estimating that my painting is 1/3 of the way. 1/3 more for adding in more plants to the remaining blank area, and the final 1/3 to add in missing flowers, a bird or two for the birdbath, butterflies and bees.