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There is no need to be embarrassed, Patty. Kumquats are not very common fruit. They are little tiny oranges about the size of a large grape. They are usually used in oriental cooking. They are cooked whole or cut in half. They taste a lot like a regular-sized orange except they are a little more bitter. The bitterness is reduced through cooking, though. I like to just pop them into my mouth raw. I eat the whole thing; skin and seeds. I find them to be utterly delicious. They're like little bite-size oranges but you eat the whole thing including the skin.

Like other citrus fruits, kumquats are very high in vitamin C but because you eat the peel you get even more benefits. The peel is very high in bioflavonoids which help strengthen gums and arteries and the circulatory system in general. The peel also helps regulate the spleen-pancreas, promotes peristalsis, and alleviates intestinal gas. It also resolves mucous conditions in the lungs. The little seeds also help clean the colon. They are healthy, delicious, and cute little fruit.

Barb, this is what I suggest: The next time you're going to make a beef stew or pot roast or beef stir fry or Yankee pot roast, buy 3 or 4 kumquats. That should cost you about 7 to 10 cents. When you're cooking your Yankee pot roast, or whatever, cut the kumquats in half (longways) and throw them in the stew. Let them cook slowly with all the other stuff. While a raw kumquat is both sweet and bitter, a cooked one was is just sweet--and quite sweet at that. I think you'll be amazed how sweet it is. When the roast or stew or whatever is done and you're eating it, try one out of the stew. I think you'll be surprised. If you don't like it you can fish the other few pieces out and throw them out--but I seriously doubt you'll do that. Don't worry, it will only enhance the overall flavor of the stew or pot roast or whatever.

When it comes to fruit the basic gastronomic rule is to never combine it with other food. Always eat fruit by itself and wait 20-40 minutes before you eat other food. And fruit is best eaten in the morning. (And NEVER combine fruit with sugar!)

Citrus fruits are the one exception to this. They combine extremely well with meat dishes and they can be taken all day long. When you steam or bake fish cover it with thinly sliced lemon (with the peel). Eat the fish with the lemon (including the peel) and you will make your body very happy. And, of course, fajitas simply aren't fajitas without lime juice. The next time you're at your favorite Chinese restaurant order orange chicken. Citrus fruits are a cook's best friend.

Barb, if you like fruit that is sweet then you simply must try kiwi fruit. It's super sweet--provided it's ripe. Peel it and slice it and eat it 20 minutes before you have breakfast. When you buy them at the store make sure they're not too hard. If they're somewhat hard let them soften before you eat them. They sweeten as they ripen. Kiwi are very,. very, very good for you! And they are deliciously sweet!

One other food combination that you can make is green apples (NOT red!) with brown rice. You can add cinnamon but DO NOT ADD SUGAR! Brown rice with green apples and cinnamon is very good for the colon and lungs. (In Traditional Chinese Medicine the lungs and colon are very much connected.) This is a very good dish to have for breakfast. Cook the green apples and rice and cinnamon all together from the start. If you have any bowel irregularities this is a supreme breakfast! But it only works with brown rice and not any other kind of rice and only with green apples (Granny Smith are the best) and not any other kind of apples. Don't combine this with any other food for at least 45 minutes. You'll be surprised how sweet it tastes. (Remember: DO NOT ADD SUGAR! Sugar will turn this into a nightmare for the body and will throw any nutritional benefit out the window.)

Okay, that's my fruit blabber for the evening.