"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Citron Redux


Puttered around in the greenhouse today.  My citrus collection has been neglected; the trees don't look well.  After Christmas I will have to harvest and baby them with a good dose of fertilizer.  They got too cold.  Hmmmm.  

But, I did get three large Buddha's Hand citrons.  They smell of heaven.  Citrusy, but with a sweet perfume.  Nothing I have ever smelled compares.  

These beauty challenged whoppers are used for candied fruit.  The rind is stripped and candied.  It is also eaten boiled in a sugar syrup as sucket, I believe an old English treat.  They even had silver sucket forks to eat this delicacy.  It is also used in Israel in a ceremony called Sukot.  Whatever, I'm not eating it.  I'd rather eat a Snickers.


If you want to read a really interesting post about foods of yesteryear, please go to the right side of my blog and click on Food History Jottings.  Ivan Day's blog is absolutely the most incredible blog I have ever come across.  If he hasn't been already, he should be knighted by The Queen. His latest post is about the Grand Tours during the 1800's and the reactions of the English travelers to foreign foods.  Sparrow soup Madame?  Macaroni and cheese stuffed suckling pig?  It is so interesting.  He doesn't post often so have a look.  





16 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

I have never seen a Buddha's Hand Citron before - intriguing looking.
Thanks for the heads up about historical food. Heading over now. I cannot get over the things which were eaten. And enjoyed. Mind you they were at least food, and I am not sure that all of today's delicacies can be classed that way.

Michelle said...

Interesting and I would have to cook/prepare/eat it!

Joanne Noragon said...

I had no idea what citron "in the raw" looked like. Just know it as that yellow square in fruit cake.

angryparsnip said...

I have seen this before but never cooked it.
Since we have this end of January February weather I should have covered my citrus trees but this year I didn't.
So who knows how they will be in spring.I will have to have to call the tree surgeon come look at them. Quite a few are 50+ years.

cheers, parsnip

jerilanders said...

Donna, I,too,would rather eat a snickers and just get a good laugh at the "Fruit"! Those Buddha fingers just remind me of the weirdest things...

The Weaver of Grass said...

Donna I have never heard of nor seen this fruit before. Don't think I would care to eat although I do love candied fruit.

donna baker said...

Ivan's historical knowledge of food is shocking and his creations are art. Simply unbelievable. But, I'm not eating a sparrow or tiny bobolink bird, bones and all.

donna baker said...

I'd rather just smell it. Don't like candied fruit, but do like dried fruit.

donna baker said...

Joanne, it is the oldest citrus in history; more than 3000 years old.

donna baker said...

Oh my. I had to prune some of mine to get them into the greenhouse. I wish I could grow mine outside during winter. I'd have fields of them. No, I wouldn't. They are so prolific one could never use all the fruit.

donna baker said...

Each one is different too. Both shapes and sizes. But the smell. Wish you could smell them.

donna baker said...

Pat, have a look at Ivan's blog. His collection of all things historical and food related is museum worthy. I think if candied, and you love candied fruit, this would be the star. I tried to candy it and failed, but figured where I went wrong. I'd try it again, but it would be for naught.

elaine said...

I remember seeing those on your blog before - hey are truly alien and fantastical. Had a quick look at Ivan's blog post. It it is awfully long and I sort of lost the will to live but he sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

donna baker said...

Ivan's blog is a class at university, but he knows it all, culinarily speaking.

La Table De Nana said...

I have never seen on ein person..just yours..Giada made a nice salad to top fish on her show from Positano..candied lemon..does this have puld that is edible?
Ivan Day's blog may be a bit in the same direction as Lost Past Remembered..I enjoy her posts too.

donna baker said...

I don't think you would want to eat it Monique as it is white through and through with no juicy vesicles. The rind is the good part and I think I'll peel some and freeze it though I don't know what I'll use it in. It does make a very good flavored salt. I put it on the blog in the past.