Unusual Citrus as an Ingredient

[Yojimbo]

Having grown calamondins and a few other citrus trees with various degrees of success over the years, I'm curious to hear if anyone's using calamondin, or its juice (called kalamansi in some parts of the world), kumquats, yuzu or other unusual citrus varieties as actual ingredients in drinks, rather than just as a fancy garnish, i.e. sticking a kaffir lime leaf into your Thai-Green-Curry-Colada-thingie?

Citrus is never out of season in cocktails, but in winter it becomes more of a necessity when most other fruits aren't fresh.

[EvergreenDan]

I've had good luck with playing with kumquats. They have great acidity and you can easily muddle the whole thing to get good oil from the peel. Try this:

Old Sao Paolo

by Dan Chadwick

2 oz Cachaça

1/2 oz Elisir M. P. Roux (or Green Chartreuse)

1/2 Lime (muddled)

2 Kumquat (muddled)

1/2 t Simple syrup (if needed)

4 ds Whiskey Barrel Aged bitters, Fee Brothers

1 Orange peel (as garnish)

Muddle kumquats (or other flavorful orange, skin on) and lime. Add other ingredients except simple syrup. Taste and add simple syrup as needed if kumquats are very sour. Double strain, rocks, lowball glass. Orange zest garnish.

[Lisa Shock]

I really like yuzu. I have made infusions from the peel, and will make cocktails with the fresh juice if I can get ahold of some fresh fruit which happens occasionally.

[tikidoc]

Just picked up some kaffir limes (the fruit, not the leaves) at Whole Foods a few days ago. No idea what I was going to do with them, but I can't resist something new. Would love some ideas. I have zested a few and thrown it in the freezer for later use.

[pastrygirl]

I got some kaffir limes in at work and ended up giving them to the bar. The dark & stormy with a slice of fresh kaffir lime was delicious. The limes are pretty bitter, and it doesn't take much.

[Mjx]

Just picked up some kaffir limes (the fruit, not the leaves) at Whole Foods a few days ago. No idea what I was going to do with them, but I can't resist something new. Would love some ideas. I have zested a few and thrown it in the freezer for later use.

I wonder how they would take to being candied, salted, or pickled.

[Jaymes]

I very much prefer calamansi in my gin & tonics. I wouldn't call it a "fancy garnish" though as I put in enough to completely change the flavor profile of the drink.

And my son uses them to enliven mojitos. He also puts them in mimosas.