Are you wondering what to do with the kumquats you bought at the farmers market because they were so cute then got them home and thought now what? In theory I love kumquats, and buy them when they show up in the market in Rome. I eat a couple and then kind of forget about them. Now I have a specific reason to buy them: Kumquat Old Fashioned
The other night, while making our evening aperitivo, they came in very handy. Not only cute and pretty, but just the right amount of bitterness from the skin and acidity from the juice to work. I’ve never quite figured out the fine line between a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned, but this falls somewhere in between. It’s got added sweetness (like an Old Fashioned, from the maple syrup) but it also has red vermouth (like a Manhattan). You can call it whatever you’d like, but do let me know if you like it.
Kumquat Old Fashioned
Yield 1
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1/2 oz sweet red vermouth
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 2 kumquats, cut in half
- Cardamom Bitters
Instructions
Put bourbon, vermouth, syrup and one kumquat in a shaker and muddle. Add ice. Stir to chill and dilute. Strain into glass and garnish with the remain kumquat. Add a few drops of either orange of even better, cardamom bitters.
If you’d like to join me one of these days for an aperitivo in Italy, you can. We’ve still got a few more spots on our June and May trips to Umbria this year.
This sounds delicious. What are cardamom bitters? If I find a bottle can I use it in lots of things?
They are a type of extract used in cocktails. Yes, you can certainly use it in other things, but I find I go through a bottle pretty fast just on cocktails!
Kumquats make great jam….it is a bit of work though.