Kumquat is Corfu Island's trademark. You will recognize it for its bright orange colour, and you will find different sweet elaborations of this small citrus fruit all over the island: candy, marmalades, and liquor can be tasted and bought in the tourist shops, and even homemade beauty products and soaps are also sold almost everywhere.
We don't usually eat it raw, but let me tell you a secret: a few slices of this fruit give a great flavour to arugula salads, due to the exotic and subtle tasty oil of its peel.
Did you know that its origins are in China? The first reference goes back to the 12th century, and it was introduced in Europe by British botanist Sidney Merlin in 1846. Also, Japan, India, and the Philippines have a long tradition of kumquat cultivation.
Nowadays, it's cultivated all over Corfu Island, especially in the North area, and many islanders have at least one of these shrubs in their garden. They grow up to 4,5 metres, and kumquat fruit is harvested during the winter.
If you want to know many more things about Corfu History, Nature, Gastronomy and Life, book a private tour and let us take you everywhere, in safety and privacy!
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