Crispy Honey Kumquat - Lunar New Year

[nofspeppers]

So its Lunar New Year and if you make your way to your local Chinatown or Asian grocery store you will most likely find the Crispy Honey Kumquats. Really interesting kumquat as its mostly sweet juicy pith and very little pulp globules. It's seedless and I was getting brix readings between 17 and 20! Very sweet and delicious with a hint of acid. I bought a pound ($16.99 here in nyc) which was 11 fruit. I remember someone posting about them here before so just thought I'd let everyone know they're available since I don't think they sell them outside of the Lunar New Year.


Here's some info I found online about them:
"Cuimi (脆蜜金柑 = Cui Mi Jin Gan = “Crispy Honey Kumquat”). Meiwa-type kumquat with large, sweet, juicy fruit and few or no seeds. Origin: Guangxi University, Liuzhou Fruit Production Office, and Guangxi Rongan Fruit Production Station, Guangxi, China, by H.G. Lan, Z.E. Tang, et al. Huapi kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia) bud mutation, initially selected 2007, finally selected 2014. Chinese MARA PBR CNA20150497.9; 1 Sept. 2017. Fruit: obovoid to spheroid, fruit shape index 1.1; large, length 44 mm, diameter 40 mm, 20.5 g on average, largest 35.6 g; rind golden yellow to orange-red, smooth, with very few oil cells, thickness 1.25 mm; texture crisp, juicy; juice content 56.9%; flavor strong, sweet, 16.46 ºBrix, TA 0.18%, TSS/TA 131.4; vitamin C content 21.05 mg/100 g; no pungent spicy taste; quality excellent; seeds 0.2, nearly seedless; ripens late November to mid-December in Guangxi; stores well. Tree: height 3-5 m; leaves obovate, dark green; yield high, stable, precocious; highly resistant to Huanglongbing, citrus canker (Xanthomonas axonopodis), and drought."

https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/57/9/article-p1174.xml

[sc4001992]

Wow, they are big fruits. You actually measured brix higher than what they say, that's really nice.

How do you compare the taste to the Meiwa kumquat?

Thanks for posting this info and photos. I will be looking for it on sale online and at the Asian markets.

[sc4001992]

I was looking to see where they might sell some fruits now, here's what I ended up finding on the tree.

https://mamasnowcooks.com/gardening/the-life-of-my-honey-crisp-kumquat-tree/

So, it does sound like this online store/supplier in the article is a fraud so don't trees from them. I think someone already posted that they had issues with this source.

[nofspeppers]

The flavor is similar to Meiwa without the fruit pulp. There’s almost no acid in these things. I just can’t get over how juicy they are even though it’s just all pith and skin. Had a few more and measured one at 21.5 which is the highest I’ve ever gotten from any fruit, let alone citrus. If you google Asian grocery store you’re probably going to have good luck with the results.

I think finding a tree in the states will be very difficult because they’re originally from China and citrus importing is so strict, especially from there

[Stephiebby]

We found some at Enson Market in Miami last weekend. They really are fantastic and worth searching for!

[Pau]

I seen those wrappings at a local asian grocery store, no clue it was the honey crisp and thought it was meiwa. Going to try it now.

[alexmed95]

I tested these kumquats, and honestly can't relate to the hype. Also, I made a couple of family members test them, and they didn't enjoyed it.

Common nagami kumquat is far superior (except for the seeds)!

[Pau]

Seedless is what got my attention. Any bite size fruit without seeds is awsome. Since there is mix review i have to try it myself 

I tested these kumquats, and honestly can't relate to the hype. Also, I made a couple of family members test them, and they didn't enjoyed it.

Common nagami kumquat is far superior (except for the seeds)!

[sc4001992]

Pau, if you want a seedless Nagami, just buy some scions of Nordmann seedless nagami kumquat from UCR. It is 100% seedless, but no way is it sweeter or better than a Meiwa or Crispy Honey.

https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/crc4070

I have not measured any citrus fruits (over 50 types) with a brix of 20 ever. If you can find a citrus with brix=16, that is a very sweet fruit.

[Pau]

Nagami is too sour for me. I bought meiwa last year and fruits are still smaller than it should be because it is growing. I might look into the norman seedless as my kids dont mind nagami sourness at all. Thanks for the info.

[Pau]

No acid, very sweet, juicy.

I found 1 tiny seed, accidently cut in half. Will look to see if others have a seed to attempt planting.

$23/lb. One box was $17.

Definately will seek this tree.

[Pau]

Skin can be scoured with knife and peeled back. Flesh without skin resembles white loquat texture, taste is similar also. Its like watery honey taste.

I tried look for segments/slices. The segments are covered by a layer of juicy sweet rind.


I will say the only downside to this fruit is the skin when compared to the nagami. It lacks the citrus oil taste and fragrance.

[vnomonee]

As it is a bud mutation/ bud sport wouldn't the seeds just be regular meiwa?


Any chance this bit is viable? I would graft it and hope the callus would make a branch, lol 

[sc4001992]

Pau,

Where did you find the fruit?  I was hoping they start selling some here in CA. Are the photos you posted from fruits you tasted today?

[Pau]

As it is a bud mutation/ bud sport wouldn't the seeds just be regular meiwa?

I couldnt find another seed. Even the one found did not seem fully developed. The other seeds were translucent almost.

That tiny little green is not graftable or rootable i think...lol.

I do that with dragon fruits, sometimes there is 2-3 inches of branch on it.

[Pau]

Pau,

Where did you find the fruit?  I was hoping they start selling some here in CA. Are the photos you posted from fruits you tasted today?

The pictures are from today. There is a private owned non-chain asian grocery store named MeiMei that has been open for 2 years near where i live. I notice they have fruits that most chain stores dont have, like the guavas i mentioned on other post. I have seen the honey crisp kumquat for few months now, but thought it was abiu. I asked cashier and they said it was kumquat, i saw the price and thought it is not worth because i did not know it was the honey crisp. I would say price is still high like all new fruits, but to try is ok.

[brian]

I just found similar packs of packages crispy honey kumquats a new asian grocery that opened recently.  Buying one to try

[citrange]

More information on this variety at
https://www.freshplaza.com/north-america/article/9678763/guangxi-rong-an-kumquats-enter-the-market-and-crisp-honey-kumquats-in-high-demand/

[sc4001992]

Thanks, nice write up.

[brian]

these Crispy Honey Kumquats are unlike any citrus I have ever tried.  The flesh texture is more like a pear, and is juicy and sweet despite looking like pomelo pith.  I recommend anybody who has the opportunity to try them!   

I definitely like them, but I can't even compare them to other kumquats because they are so different.

[sc4001992]

Good feedback Brian, I will be waiting to try some soon. Sounds like a good one to have.

[nofspeppers]

Out of all the fruit I had only 1 had 2 seeds, but both were non viable.

Skin can be scoured with knife and peeled back. Flesh without skin resembles white loquat texture, taste is similar also. Its like watery honey taste.

I tried look for segments/slices. The segments are covered by a layer of juicy sweet rind.


I will say the only downside to this fruit is the skin when compared to the nagami. It lacks the citrus oil taste and fragrance.

Interesting all the ones up here had good sweet skin like nagami or meiwa

[brian]

The skin on mine are sweet also, but there is so little of it compared to the flesh it isn't very noticeable

[nofspeppers]

The pictures are from today. There is a private owned non-chain asian grocery store named MeiMei that has been open for 2 years near where i live. I notice they have fruits that most chain stores dont have, like the guavas i mentioned on other post. I have seen the honey crisp kumquat for few months now, but thought it was abiu. I asked cashier and they said it was kumquat, i saw the price and thought it is not worth because i did not know it was the honey crisp. I would say price is still high like all new fruits, but to try is ok.

This is my little secret living up in the north away from the warmer zones. Many of the Asian/Caribbean/Indian/etc grocery stores import tropical fruit, you just have to catch them while its the right season. I've been able to get Jackfruit, Durian, star apple, sapodilla, canistel, sugar apple, cherimoya, soursop, pomelos, guavas, pitaya, mangosteen, and lots more. If you make it a frequent stop to check every month you'll almost always find a good haul.

**The catch is knowing what's going to ripen up or what's going to be bad/was picked too unripe.

[Pau]

The skin is good, it is sweet. It just doesnt have oil and citrus fragrance like that of nagami.

I looked more into this, and found an article stating that the oil pores on honey crisp are smaller than other kumquats.