Kumquat cocktail / simple syrup ideas?

I used only the peels (which interestingly enough are sweet, compared to the sour innards of the fruit) when preparing the syrup, works very well to give you an orangey citrus aroma, the innards of a kumquat are really just a bag for the seeds which can be bitter.. Yes it is labor intensive peeling the skin off but well worth it.. (Any remaining peel, just cut up into strips & 'bury' in a container of sugar. You'll get some lovely candied peel for cake garnish.

You're right, they are bitter. But they're one of those bitter flavors that people tend to like more and more as they get older. A sugar simmer might be a stepping stone to liking them as they are.

Sounds great Greenstuff, I haven't really used Kumquats I remember them being quite bitter if my recollection is correct, then simmering them in sugar syrup would be really nice imparting the flavor into the syrup and the kumquats themselves would be a yummy treat,

Or, I'd slice them thinly, simmer them in the water and sugar, and keep them in the syrup. You could even simmering them whole--candying them--so you'd have the kumquat as well as a syrup to use in other recipes.

That sounds really good. I'd just chop up kumquats, simmer them with your water and sugar, then strain them out. sdebrango--you usually use entire kumquats rather than using just the peel or the small amount of juice that they have.

This isn't a simple syrup recipe, but I have an adaptation of Melissa Clark's Kumquat-Clementine cordial (from her cookbook In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite) macerating right now, and I canNOT wait until it's done. Her recipe uses spices (cinnamon, star anise, and allspice) in white rum, but all I had was spiced rum, so I omitted the spices she called for.

Maybe you can peel and use the skin in the syrup, cook it with the sugar and water. I have never really used kumquats I think the skin is really thin not sure if you can juice them. Or zest them that way you can get more bang for your buck the zest has the essential oils.