# Source for good citron



## justplainbill

Now that I have a nearly 2 year supply of citron halves, I can recommend Kalustyans as a source for unchopped citron.  Many who do not like citron have not tasted 'good' citron.  Used to buy it from a shop in Boston but they're out of business.


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## Aunt Bea

Thanks for the tip!

How do you store it when you buy a large quantity?

In my area the only place I can find it is in an old Italian bakery but, they only stock it from about Thanksgiving until Christmas.

The prices shown on the site appear to be about a third less for most of the candied fruit than I pay in CNY.

I think I will fire off a small order and make some Hot Cross Buns.

Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One ha' penny, two ha' penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One ha' penny,
Two ha' penny,
Hot Cross Buns!


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## buckytom

jpb, i did a quick search having no idea what good unchopped citron meant, and i'm still unsure. are you looking for the specific fruit, or a preserved derivative? candied, alcohol, etc..


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## justplainbill

It lasts as well as most candied preserved fruits.  I vacuum pack some for longer term storage.  Paradise brand is too gooey(too much corn syrup?), somewhat lacking in flavor, and cut into pieces that are too small.


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## Snip 13

I've googled citron, had no idea what it was. For a minute I actually thought you mispelled Citroen (The Car) lol!

I now know it's a citrus fruit but what parts are used and how?


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## justplainbill

Snip 13 said:


> I've googled citron, had no idea what it was. For a minute I actually thought you mispelled Citroen (The Car) lol!
> 
> I now know it's a citrus fruit but what parts are used and how?


The candied skin / peel is common in some Italian cakes and pastries and in  some German cookies.


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## Snip 13

justplainbill said:


> The candied skin / peel is common in some Italian cakes and pastries and in some German cookies.


 
Thank you  One more thing I need to try. I think I've seen them at the Indian grocer. I believe they have little to no juice. Is this true? 
Could I make marmalade with Citrons?

Sorry for all the questions but I don't trust google and you seem to know more anyway.


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## CharlieD

Being Jewish citron is used during Holiday of Sukkot. After, I usually get them from all my friends and make jelly. The last year I somehow got so busy i had no time to make it. I still have couple dried out ones seating in my fridge. Smell good.
But, Bill, you saying you can buy them fresh during the year too?


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## justplainbill

CharlieD said:


> Being Jewish citron is used during Holiday of Sukkot. After, I usually get them from all my friends and make jelly. The last year I somehow got so busy i had no time to make it. I still have couple dried out ones seating in my fridge. Smell good.
> But, Bill, you saying you can buy them fresh during the year too?


I was talking about candied / preserved citron skins / peels.  They're about 3/8" thick; and the pieces run about 4" wide by 8 or 9" long.


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## justplainbill

Snip 13 said:


> Thank you  One more thing I need to try. I think I've seen them at the Indian grocer. I believe they have little to no juice. Is this true?
> Could I make marmalade with Citrons?
> 
> Sorry for all the questions but I don't trust google and you seem to know more anyway.


Sounds like that's what Charlie does.  It's a bit too expensive around here to use it for marmalade but I do like bitter marmalade.


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## Snip 13

justplainbill said:


> Sounds like that's what Charlie does. It's a bit too expensive around here to use it for marmalade but I do like bitter marmalade.


 
Thank you  I'll try it as soon as I find some. Citrus fruit is cheap by us and as far as I can remember the fruit I saw that looked like citron was relatively inexpensive.


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## justplainbill

Snip 13 said:


> Thank you  I'll try it as soon as I find some. Citrus fruit is cheap by us and as far as I can remember the fruit I saw that looked like citron was relatively inexpensive.


The Indian grocer sounds like your best bet.


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## Snip 13

Thank you


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## Addie

Citron is dried peels of citrus fruit that you find in that dreaded holiday fruit cake. When dried and sweetened properly, they make good munchings. I love the smell of citron. But then what citrus fruit doesn't smell heavenly.


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## CharlieD

justplainbill said:


> Sounds like that's what Charlie does.  It's a bit too expensive around here to use it for marmalade but I do like bitter marmalade.



It is indeed, and when done properly it is heavenly. Don't go to the "expensive" part, you have no idea what it takes to get a nice one here in MN. We are talking $$$


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## Dawgluver

DH's grandma used to candy citrus peel, grapefruit as I recall, boiling the peel in sugar syrup, drying, and boiling in syrup again, then drying again.  It was delicious.  Is this similar?


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## justplainbill

Dawgluver said:


> DH's grandma used to candy citrus peel, grapefruit as I recall, boiling the peel in sugar syrup, drying, and boiling in syrup again, then drying again.  It was delicious.  Is this similar?


The process is about the same.  The citron has a thicker skin and is generally more aromatic.


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## Addie

Charlie, I know you cook only Kosher. And since the Islamic diet is very close to the Jewish one, do yo ever shop from one of their stores?


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## CharlieD

Addie said:


> Charlie, I know you cook only Kosher. And since the Islamic diet is very close to the Jewish one, do yo ever shop from one of their stores?



I'm sorry Addie, I have no idea where you got the idea that our diets are close. Not at all, the only similarity is that pork is prohibited in both. We/I cannot buy anything in one of their stores, unless it is kosher of course, so the answer is no.


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## Addie

CharlieD said:


> I'm sorry Addie, I have no idea where you got the idea that our diets are close. Not at all, the only similarity is that pork is prohibited in both. We/I cannot buy anything in one of their stores, unless it is kosher of course, so the answer is no.


 
Thank you Charlie. Another lesson learned. As I said before, I love learning about other religions. I am always searching for knowledge.


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## CharlieD

On the other hand before there was hallal store in town some local muslims used to come to kosher store and buy meat there, becasue it is consider good for them, doesn't work the other way around though.


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## Addie

CharlieD said:


> On the other hand before there was hallal store in town some local muslims used to come to kosher store and buy meat there, becasue it is consider good for them, doesn't work the other way around though.


 
So I take it that their 'kosher' rules are much different from yours. I should start reading up on the muslim religion. About all I know now is that they pray three times a day facing Mecca and they don't eat pork.


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## CharlieD

I think it is 5 times per day


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## GotGarlic

CharlieD said:


> I think it is 5 times per day



Yes, it's five times per day. I spent a week in Turkey in 2001 and it was amazing. There is a singer (muezzin) in each mosque who calls the faithful to prayer. The towers (minarets) around the mosques are designed to amplify the voices. Nowadays, some are recorded and have speakers, but we heard some live singers. Here's an example:

Islamic Call to Prayer - [Islam Calls You] - YouTube

(Sorry to hijack your thread, jpb, but it's a cool progression, I think )


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## CharlieD

We are way off the subject by now.


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## Snip 13

CharlieD said:


> It is indeed, and when done properly it is heavenly. Don't go to the "expensive" part, you have no idea what it takes to get a nice one here in MN. We are talking $$$


 
I found some fresh, would you mind sharing your recipe?


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## CharlieD

Snip 13 said:


> I found some fresh, would you mind sharing your recipe?


 

Here is the recipe I gave to somebody the other day, well more like a month.

I had close to 10 pounds of citrons' aka esrogim.
If you only have couple you will need very small ammount of water when start making sugar sirop or is it cirop?

anyways, just let me know if tyou need more help. Here it is:

 Esrog aka Citron.
 
·         Take the nicest esrogim. The small or green ones are just not worth the time to pachka (full) with them. You have to wash them on outside who knows what hands were touching them. Cut the ends of, you know the stem and the pitum. Cut them right in the middle. Now you need to get rid of all of the seeds inside. You can simply cut them out or scoop it with a spoon. 
·         At this point you need to put them on a scale. You need to know exact weight. You will need that much sugar. 1:1 proportion. After that slice them thin, say a 1/8 of an inch or so. You'll need a non-stick or an aluminum pot and a good solid wooden spoon. The pot should be large enough for the amount you have. Put esrogim in add cold water enough to cover fruit completely bring it to boil and then drain. Repeat this at least 4 or 5 times. Esrogim are bitter and this will take the bitterness out. After the last time make sure to drain all the water out. Put the esrogim into a different container. Take your pot put about a cup of cold water into it and bring it to boil add the sugar and mix constantly till sugar is completely dissolved. Add esrogim, lower the heat and stir almost constantly till the sugar and esrogim are completely mixed you can turn the heat up at that point. When it starts boiling again you can lower the heat to about medium high. The main thing to keep it slow to medium boiling. More than simmering. You have to stir pretty often so it doesn't stick to the bottom, because it will and it will burn in no time. Basically you cannot be doing anything else. For next two hours. The mixture should boil out at least by half, so make a note to yourself where you start. I made mine last night and took me more like 2 and a half hours, ah probably closer to 3. But I had a lot of esrogim. And I mean a lot. Also a simple test to see if jelly is ready take a tiny amount of jelly liquid and drop on the top of your thumb nail and turn you hand over, if drop stays then jelly is ready. At this point you need to add sour salt aka citric acid. (I do not use pectin) depending on how much you have, maybe a half to a tea spoon. Mix well let it boil for another 10 minutes. You need very clean glass jars. Preferably keep them close to the stove so they would not be cold and will be dry inside when you are ready to poor the jelly in. You have to put it into jar when it is hot. But do not cover it until it cools down. Ah, my wife told me to make a video yesterday, only if I knew. The jelly is very touchy. If you undercook it will get moldy, if you overcook it will become like a hard candy.


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## Snip 13

CharlieD said:


> Here is the recipe I gave to somebody the other day, well more like a month.
> 
> I had close to 10 pounds of citrons' aka esrogim.
> If you only have couple you will need very small ammount of water when start making sugar sirop or is it cirop?
> 
> anyways, just let me know if tyou need more help. Here it is:
> 
> Esrog aka Citron.
> 
> 
> Thank you Charlie
> This is pretty close to how I make naartjie marmalade. Copied and pasted, wish me luck!


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## CharlieD

Good luck. This is far from any profesioanl recipe. It is something I came up after few tries. Hope you like it.


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## Addie

Snip 13 said:


> CharlieD said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the recipe I gave to somebody the other day, well more like a month.
> 
> I had close to 10 pounds of citrons' aka esrogim.
> If you only have couple you will need very small ammount of water when start making sugar *sirop or is it cirop?*
> 
> anyways, just let me know if tyou need more help. Here it is:
> 
> Esrog aka Citron.
> 
> 
> Thank you Charlie
> This is pretty close to how I make naartjie marmalade. Copied and pasted, wish me luck!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, since you asked, it is *syrup.* I hate correcting folks publicly, but you did ask. Sorry.
Click to expand...


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## CharlieD

I'm telling, I even Googled it and it did not gave right answer, I knew it was wrong, just did not know what was wrong. Thank you.


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## LorelisaGarten

Hi, I am new here and found this forum while searching on line for fresh citron.  Does anyone know of an online source?  I'm in upstate NY, no specialty food stores nearby.

I have Candied grapefruit and orange peel in the past, but for the past two years, I haven't been able to find fruit with sufficiently think skin (off subject- I have the same problem with watermelon, I cant seem to find any that have a thick rind for pickling).  I have seen some online sources for an an familiar variety of white grapefruit crossed with pomelo, has anyone tried those?  By the way, I noticed that there are no white grapefruits in the stores this year.

Also, should the fruits be organic?  Of course I wash them, but is it safety use the skins?

Thank you.
Lorli


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## taxlady

LorelisaGarten said:


> Hi, I am new here and found this forum while searching on line for fresh citron.  Does anyone know of an online source?  I'm in upstate NY, no specialty food stores nearby.
> 
> I have Candied grapefruit and orange peel in the past, but for the past two years, I haven't been able to find fruit with sufficiently think skin (off subject- I have the same problem with watermelon, I cant seem to find any that have a thick rind for pickling).  I have seen some online sources for an an familiar variety of white grapefruit crossed with pomelo, has anyone tried those?  By the way, I noticed that there are no white grapefruits in the stores this year.
> 
> Also, should the fruits be organic?  Of course I wash them, but is it safety use the skins?
> 
> Thank you.
> Lorli


I don't use the peels of citrus unless they are organic. I don't object to the flesh, even if it isn't organic. They usually dye citrus to make it look ripe. They use dyes that are not food safe, because it is assumed that the peel won't be eaten.


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## GotGarlic

Do you have a source for that? It's pretty common for people to use citrus zest in cooking.


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## taxlady

GotGarlic said:


> Do you have a source for that? It's pretty common for people to use citrus zest in cooking.


Citrus Red 2 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have read it elsewhere, but that's what was easy to find. I posted that link here a few years ago. I wasn't up for Googling it again.


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