Friday Fun Day-Fun With Foods From Kumquats to Croissants to a Home Chef Coupon.

 Welcome to Friday Fun, a space to focus on the things that bring us joy and excitement—moments to take a break from life’s stresses. Lately, I’ve been having fun experimenting with new foods. After watching another episode of Chopped, my desire to try different ingredients and incorporate past recipes was reignited. Join me as I share my latest Chopped adventure, along with a simple and delicious peach balsamic glaze recipe I discovered through one of my Home Chef meals—perfect for drizzling over salmon!

I can’t quite recall which episode of Chopped sparked this, but it definitely got me curious about kumquats, Camembert cheese, croissants, and the mysterious 5 spice they used in a recipe. So, let’s kick things off by exploring kumquats.

First off, what exactly is a kumquat? Kumquats are small, olive-sized citrus fruits native to Southeast Asia, resembling miniature oblong oranges. Unlike most citrus fruits, kumquats have a sweet, edible rind and a tart, juicy pulp, making it possible to eat the whole fruit—skin and all—except for the seeds. Packed with vitamin C and fiber, kumquats can be enjoyed fresh, dried, or made into jams. When eating, rolling the kumquat between your fingers helps blend the sweet and tart flavors for a delightful taste experience.

Tracking down fresh kumquats wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. After checking local supermarkets without any luck, I made a trip to H Mart, an Asian market about 15 minutes from my house. Fortunately, they had kumquats in stock, so I grabbed a small container and couldn’t wait to try them for the first time.

The kumquat is a beautiful fruit, with a vibrant orange hue and an oblong shape. As I caught its scent, it reminded me of an orange. Following the advice I found during my research, I rolled the fruit between my fingers before taking a bite. I was expecting a sweet outer skin with a tart interior, and having seen many enthusiastic kumquat tastings on YouTube, I was excited to see if I would love it too.

I was expecting pure bliss from the flavor of the kumquat, but unfortunately, I got the exact opposite. The skin was bitter—like biting into orange peel—and the interior was so tart it caught me off guard. I ended up spitting it out. Given how many people seem to enjoy this fruit, I’m guessing mine wasn’t fully ripe. Would I give it another shot? Maybe someday, but definitely not anytime soon. Lol!

One of the ingredients featured in the Chopped episode was Camembert cheese—a soft, creamy cow’s milk cheese hailing from Normandy, France. Known for its edible, snowy-white bloomy rind, Camembert boasts an intense earthy and mushroom-like flavor with a rich, savory aroma often accented by hints of garlic and cream. When fully ripe, its texture is delectably soft and runny. Typically sold in small, round wooden boxes, Camembert is delicious served at room temperature, baked, or paired with fruits and wine.

 

I easily found Camembert at my local market and decided to serve it at room temperature with crackers. Naturally, I wanted to pair it with the perfect wine, so I looked into the best options. Lighter reds with low tannins, such as Pinot Noir from Alsace or Burgundy, or Gamay wines like Beaujolais, beautifully complement the cheese’s creamy texture. For baked or grilled Camembert, a Cabernet Franc-based Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil is an excellent match. On the white wine side, wines with fresh acidity and fruity or mineral notes often create the most harmonious pairings. Jura’s Savagnin offers complexity and suits well-aged Camembert, while Loire Valley Chenin Blanc brings floral aromas and refreshing acidity—both perfect choices.

 I visited my favorite local grocery, Lowes Foods, and with the help of Alex, the bartender at the store, we picked out the perfect wine to pair with the Camembert cheese: Beaujolais Villages, made entirely from Gamay grapes. I thoroughly enjoyed this easy-drinking wine, and it complemented the cheese beautifully.

As for the cheese itself, I found it delightful—smooth, savory, and mild with a tasty flavor that wasn’t at all harsh. The rind, however, was a different story; it was a bit too strong for my taste. My tasting buddy, Rocky, described the rind as tasting like dirt, which he seemed to enjoy, but since I’m not a fan of dirt, I steered clear and focused on savoring the creamy, flavorful cheese beneath.

On the show, contestants were challenged to incorporate croissants into their creations, which inspired me to pick up some beautiful croissants from Lowes Foods and whip up a batch of my chicken salad to enjoy as a croissant sandwich. If you’re wondering, croissants are buttery, flaky, crescent-shaped pastries from the viennoiserie family, known for their light, airy layers created by folding dough repeatedly with butter. Combining my homemade chicken salad with fresh croissants made for a delicious and satisfying lunch.

When the contestants had to use Five Spice, I realized I wasn’t familiar with it, so I did a little research. Chinese five-spice powder is a traditional blend designed to balance the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—with sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and pungent flavors. The core ingredients include star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel seeds, cinnamon or cassia, and cloves. Variations might also contain ginger, nutmeg, pepper, or citrus peel. This versatile spice is often used as a dry rub for meats like pork and duck, in marinades, stews, and occasionally baking.

As usual, I learned a lot from this Chopped episode, and trying new things is always a win-win. Now, let’s shift gears and dive into my Home Chef experience.

I’ve been using Home Chef on and off for years, enjoying their ready-to-prepare meal kits that let me handle the prep and cooking at home. Through this service, I’ve learned a lot about ingredients and cooking techniques. Recently, I made a delicious Peach Balsamic Salmon with Garlic Butter Orzo—it was so tasty that I wanted to share the simple, easy-to-make glaze recipe. It’s just brushed onto the salmon after it’s cooked, adding a quick and flavorful finishing touch that I plan to use again for future meals.

Here is the very simple recipe, this would be enough for 3-4 servings.

Peach Balsamic Glaze Recipe

• 2 oz balsamic glaze
• 2 oz peach preserves

Combine the balsamic glaze and peach preserves, then spread the mixture over cooked salmon before serving.

When you are a member of the Home Chef Community you get a link that you can share to try Home Chef.  Here is the link Home Chef.  Here is the offer…

That wraps up another Friday Fun Day! Taking time to escape worries and enjoy the beautiful life we’ve been given is not just healthy—it’s essential. Whatever challenges come your way, strive to find moments of joy or beauty in each day. My motto is: there is beauty all around us, even in the pain, but sometimes we have to put forth the effort to truly see it.

God Bless You On This Journey!

KathieyV