By Patti Nickell
From Tribune News Service
OK, let’s have a show of hands. How many of you have even seen a kumquat, let alone tasted one? That’s what I thought. I admit that I had never eaten one either. However, the small community of Dade City in southwest Florida’s Pasco County has made a cottage industry of what has been described as “the tiny gem of the citrus family.”
Every January, kumquat enthusiasts flock here to sample delicacies ranging from kumquat pepper jelly and kumquat ice cream to kumquat beer, cider and sangria.
Festival goers attend the annual Kumquat Festival in Dade City, Florida. (R. Riley/Florida’s Sports Coast/TNS)
While I wasn’t quite ready for kumquat adult beverages, I did make a stop at the booth (one of approximately 300 at the festival) handing out slices of kumquat pie. Similar in texture to Key lime pie, the kumquat version is sweet where the Key lime version is tart. Sorry, Key West, but I prefer Dade City’s slice of pie….