Kumquat Preserves

Kumquats—tart and often bitter citrus fruits about the size of pecans—have been much appreciated by the more adventurous chefs among us for a decade or so. Unfortunately they’re still none too popular outside Florida, where many folks have backyard (or patio) trees loaded with them in wintertime. Here, plump, shiny orbs, their bitterness tamed by blanching a few times in boiling water and a short soak in cold water, are nestled together in a thick syrup. Pitting the little suckers requires