Kumquat Candy

Kumquat Candy

　　    Kumquat Candy: During the Spring Festival, when you visit relatives or friends in the overseas Chinese hometown of Yongchun, the host will always serve you a plate of bright orange-yellow kumquat candy fragrant with citrus aroma along with tea and cigarettes, inviting you to have a taste for good luck. You should at least pick up one piece, put it in your mouth, and then thank the host by saying, “Congratulations, congratulations, happy New Year!” Every year as the Lunar New Year approaches, many people also send this kumquat candy to their overseas relatives and friends via mail or through mutual acquaintances, expressing the longing of family back home for their loved ones abroad, and wishing them safety and good fortune. Kumquat Candy is a specialty of Yongchun County, a well-known overseas Chinese hometown in Fujian Province. The county has been making kumquat candy for over 300 years and it has long been beloved by the people of southern Fujian’s overseas Chinese communities. During each Spring Festival, in both urban and rural areas of Yongchun, almost every household displays plates and dishes full of kumquat candy on tables and altars, symbolizing a prosperous new year and used to entertain guests and relatives. Overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau who are far from home feel a special nostalgia at the sight of the kumquats and hold a deep affection for this candy. Kumquat Candy has become a precious gift that they often bring back when returning home for family visits or travel.

　　    According to Volume Seven of the “Yongchun Prefecture Annals,” “Kumquats in Yongchun come in two sizes. The smaller ones are about the size of a pellet, while the slightly larger ones are about the size of a sparrow’s egg, called ‘big kumquats.’ When cooked in sugar multiple times, they are called honey kumquats, especially those from the far western villages, which are of particularly high quality. When distinguished guests or close friends visit, they are served with tea.” The “pellet-sized” ones referred to here are mountain kumquats, which are the raw material for making kumquat candy. In the citrus classification, they belong to the kumquat genus along with kumquats, kumquat oranges, and loquat, and are evergreen small trees often found growing wild in the mountains. They bloom and bear fruit annually, with small, flat, round fruits slightly larger than peas. The peel is orange-yellow, the flesh thin with little juice, the taste sour and bitter yet richly aromatic. The mature mountain kumquats are deseeded, soaked in light saltwater, and then made into candy with sugar. This preserves their orange-yellow color and the distinctive fragrance of citrus. The aroma is refreshing, the taste fresh and sweet upon eating, and the aftertaste rich and lingering. It is not only an excellent tea accompaniment but also a great seasoning for cooking peanut soup, mung bean soup, and steaming New Year cakes. It also aids digestion and helps relieve coughs and phlegm. (Yongchun County)

　　 Hometown Snack: Yongchun Kumquat Candy, produced in Yongchun County of southern Fujian, has a history of over 300 years and has long been favored by many.

　　 　　The “Yongchun Prefecture Annals” record: “Kumquats in Yongchun come in two sizes. The smaller ones are about the size of a pellet, while the slightly larger ones are about the size of a sparrow’s egg, called ‘big kumquats.’ When cooked in sugar multiple times, they are called honey kumquats, especially those from the far western areas, which are particularly good. When distinguished guests or close friends visit, they are served with tea.” The “pellet” refers to the mountain kumquat, which is the raw material for making kumquat candy. In the citrus classification, it belongs to the kumquat genus along with kumquats, kumquat oranges, and loquat, and is an evergreen small tree often found growing wild in the mountains. It blooms and bears fruit annually, with small, flat, round fruits slightly larger than peas. The peel is orange-yellow, the flesh thin with little juice, the taste sour and bitter yet richly aromatic. The mature mountain kumquats are deseeded, soaked in light saltwater, and then made into candy with sugar. This preserves their orange-yellow color and the citrus fragrance. The aroma is refreshing, the taste fresh and sweet upon eating, and the flavor lingers with richness. It is not only an excellent tea pairing but also a great seasoning for cooking peanut soup, mung bean soup, and steaming New Year cakes. It also helps with digestion and relieving coughs.

　　 　　During each Spring Festival, every household in both urban and rural Yongchun places kumquat candy on their altars or tables to signify a prosperous and lucky new year and to entertain relatives and friends. After tasting it, guests thank the host by saying, “Congratulations, congratulations, happy New Year (and happy kumquat)!” Many people mail or ask friends to send kumquat candy to their overseas relatives and friends, expressing the longing of family back home for their loved ones abroad, and wishing them safety and good fortune. Overseas relatives far from home feel a deep sense of nostalgia at the sight of the kumquats and have a special attachment to this candy. Kumquat Candy has become a treasured gift that they often bring back when returning home for family visits or travel.

　　 During the Spring Festival, when you visit relatives or friends in the overseas Chinese hometown of Yongchun, the host will always serve you a plate (or a dish) of bright orange-yellow kumquat candy fragrant with citrus aroma along with tea and cigarettes, inviting you to have a taste for good luck. You should at least pick up one piece, put it in your mouth, and then thank the host by saying, “Congratulations, congratulations, happy New Year!” Every year as the Lunar New Year approaches, many people also send this kumquat candy to their overseas relatives and friends via mail or through mutual acquaintances, expressing the longing of family back home for their loved ones abroad, and wishing them safety and good fortune.

　　 　　Kumquat Candy is a specialty of Yongchun County, a well-known overseas Chinese hometown in Fujian Province. The county has been making kumquat candy for over 300 years and it has long been beloved by the people of southern Fujian’s overseas Chinese communities. During each Spring Festival, in both urban and rural areas of Yongchun, almost every household displays plates and dishes full of kumquat candy on tables and altars, symbolizing a prosperous new year and used to entertain guests and relatives. Overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau who are far from home feel a special nostalgia at the sight of the kumquats and hold a deep affection for this candy. Kumquat Candy has become a precious gift that they often bring back when returning home for family visits or travel.

　　 　　According to Volume Seven of the “Yongchun Prefecture Annals,” “Kumquats in Yongchun come in two sizes. The smaller ones are about the size of a pellet, while the slightly larger ones are about the size of a sparrow’s egg, called ‘big kumquats.’ When cooked in sugar multiple times, they are called honey kumquats, especially those from the far western villages, which are particularly good. When distinguished guests or close friends visit, they are served with tea.” The “pellet” referred to here is the mountain kumquat, which is the raw material for making kumquat candy. In the citrus classification, it belongs to the kumquat genus along with kumquats, kumquat oranges, and loquat, and is an evergreen small tree often found growing wild in the mountains. It blooms and bears fruit annually, with small, flat, round fruits slightly larger than peas. The peel is orange-yellow, the flesh thin with little juice, the taste sour and bitter yet richly aromatic. The mature mountain kumquats are deseeded, soaked in light saltwater, and then made into candy with sugar. This preserves their orange-yellow color and the citrus fragrance. The aroma is refreshing, the taste fresh and sweet upon eating, and the aftertaste rich and lingering. It is not only an excellent tea pairing but also a great seasoning for cooking peanut soup, mung bean soup, and steaming New Year cakes. It also helps with digestion and relieves coughs.

　　 　　Currently, the Yongchun County Food Factory and supply and marketing cooperatives in Huyang, Chengguan, Gushan, and Wulijie produce kumquat candy every year, and many local households also make it themselves. The county produces over 20,000 kilograms of kumquat candy annually, which sells well across the region and is very popular.