Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Unusual Citrus, and a Primal Strips Giveaway


My grocery store has interesting citrus lately, trucked up from the next state down, California, where everything grows. Above you will see Kaffir limes. If you like Indian and South Asian food, this might ring a bell, because Kaffir lime leaves get used a lot. I didn't have access to those, so I brought these how to play with. They are very acid, and as such not generally used in cooking. In South-East Asia, the zest is used in cooking. They're normal lime-size, but you can see they have a bumpy rind rather than the smooth one I'm more used to. These are destined for lime-ade


These little orangies are calamondin, and they are related to the kumquat. You can eat them whole. The rind is sweet and the interior is tart, and they are really delicious. I read that you can freeze them whole and use them as ice cubes in your drink, so I froze them to try.

Some floated, some sank, and the green you're seeing is calamondin leaves. This was pretty cute to look at and would be fun in the summer. I'm not sure if they are in season in the summer, though. Hmm.


This great big guy is a citron. You may have seen them candied, for use in baked goods. There is almost no juice in a citron--it's all rind and pith. In South-East Asia, I believe they make a picke out of the rind. The fruit smells heavenly, like a sweet strong lemon, and the scent stays on your skin after handling.


Here's the interior of a citron, along with my beginning of the zesting process. I'll freeze it in tablespoons for later use in baked goods, Joanna nuggets, etc.

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Today's giveaway is brought to you by Primal Strips! Eight of you will win a gift pack containing six different flavors for you to sample! What will you choose first? I like the hot and spicy. This giveaway is open to everyone everywhere, from Memphis to Halifax to Tokyo and all points in between. To enter, leave a comment on this post, telling me about your favorite flavor Primal Strip, whether you're interested in the Sunset Strip, or anything at all. The winners will be chosen by random number generator and posted on the blog tomorrow. Please remember to check back! Also please note there will be a one-week delay in shipping as I will be away from home.

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The winners of yesterday's Bubbies coupon giveaway is MachoPineapple! Congratulations to you! Please send your name and address to me at miso...@yahoo.com. (<---make sure to click on the . . . link for the rest of the email address. This is a spam avoidance thing.)

22 comments:

  1. I don't think I've seen those fruits before! I can't remember which Primal Strip is my fave, but I think Teriaki?

    rebeccastar at gmail dot com

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  2. I have only tried the teriaki which I liked a lot so I'd be really interested to try other flavours too.

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  3. Interesting info about the fruits, thanks! The stripes... well, I've never actually tasted any kind of jerky so this is really new to me. I think I would go for the Shiitake flavour first.

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  4. Those calamondin organges look so cute!
    And I looove Primal Strips. The hot & spicy are the ones made from shiitake, right? Those are my favourites too.

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  5. I am an avid hiker and I love to take primal strips in my daypack. They are nice and compact and light. My favortie is the Spicy Shiitake by far. I also like the tariyaki. I've eaten lots of the lime flavored one, but it is a little funky.

    Cool crazy fruits!! The limes look like alien brains.

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  6. I have never even heard of Primal Strips before. I think I'd try the Hot & Spicy first. :)

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  7. I have never been acquainted with the primal strip, I would like that to change.

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  8. (please exclude me from the giveaway)
    I just wanted to comment and say that those fruits look crazy... and they totally look like brains... lol.

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  9. Funny, in Sweden, lemon is called citron.

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  10. very cool! i don't think i have ever seen any of those citrus fruits. (east coast problem, i'm sure) the kaffir is neat looking!

    primal strips are sooo good! (the lime one, oddly enough is fascinating)
    the "slim jim" though isn't my favorite. it's too dry, and i can't enjoy it as much as i do the juicy primal strips.

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  11. The calamondin are very intriguing! For a while now I've been thinking of getting a little kumquat tree - one of my old neighbors had one in their front window, and I was so jealous every time I walked by, of the adorable little orange fruits hanging there...

    As for Primal Strips, I haven't had them for months and months, but I really love the mesquite lime ones!

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  12. I haven't had a Primal Strip in a long time but would love to try all the flavors again.

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  13. I've only had the peanut flavour, but I'd love to try more!

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  14. I really enjoy the shiitake mushroom flavors! Yum!

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  15. I've never had Primal Strips before. However, the hickory smoked flavor sounds awesome!

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  16. Wow, keffir limeade sounds intense...I have a potted keffir lime in my house and I'll occasionally use a leaf in a Thai recipe, but I think the fruit itself tastes like a cleaning product.

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  17. wow, how cool!!! I LOVE calamondin so much. I've only had them once, but I loved them so much. They aren't available anywhere around here. The citron looks cool... I always love candied citron. Maybe you could make some homemade candied citron!!

    Anyhow, no primal strips for me... just wanted to comment on your exciting citrus haul.

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  18. I haven't tried Primal Strips but I'd love to give them a try! :)

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  19. i've never tried those, but the texas bbq is calling to me!

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  20. I had one once, but I can't find them around here. I would love to try the different flavors though!

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  21. umm those are the lemons we have the caribbean what we call lemon they are very acid and we make a lemonade with them make marinades etc

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