kumquat beach balls

Huh?

After I used a double boiler to melt my chocolate for the Best Brownies Ever, I decided not to waste the energy that was used in boiling the water. I chucked about an equal amount of sugar into the water (as there was water in the pot).  By the way, that is how you make simple syrup – equal parts sugar and water brought to a boil so that the sugar dissolves.  Anyway, we had a few left over kumquats from our CSA last week (or was it the week before???), so I tossed those in too.  Candied kumquats couldn’t be bad…

 

They bobbed and floated until they split a little or started to look prunish (a little wrinkly).  I fished them out with a spoon and placed them in bowl to cool.  I reduced the syrup a little further and poured it into a little ceramic pitcher – orangey flavored simple syrup = yummy.  I figured I would find a use for them at some point.

Feeling festive this morning, I tossed a kumquat in my soda water (from my SodaStream which I am OBSESSED with)  and it floated around like an abandoned beach ball in an empty swimming pool.  Hence the title, kumquat beach balls.  Wouldn’t that be a phenomonal cocktail garnish?  Good for kiddy and non-alcoholic cocktails too.  Sweet, healthy, cute, fun – win, win.  I stirred a little of the syrup into my soda water - delicious.  You get a strong whiff of orange off of the floating fruit then a slight hint of orangey sweetness on your taste buds.