The etrog,
esrog, citron; Citrus
fruit of a tree of the orange and lemon
family. It is oblong in shape, and sometimes
as much as six inches in length. The skin is
thick, somewhat hard, fragrant, and covered
with protuberances; the pulp is white and subacid. Modern naturalists assume the north
of India to be its native home; but it
passed to the countries of the Mediterranean
from Media or Persia ; hence the name of the
tree, "Citrus medica," and of the fruit,
"Malum medica," or "Malum Persica".
It is therefore possible that the Jews
brought the tree with them from Babylonia to
Eretz Yisrael on their return from the
Babylonian Captivity.
Also See:
Sukkot - Etrog Recipes
For
Sukkot
A superior
Esrog is of medium size, its bright yellow
surface is furrowed and covered with Blitos,
bumps (a feature which distinguishes it from
the ordinary lemon).
A Kosher
Esrog for Sukkot:
- Consult
your Rabbi about questions.
- Esrog
must be shaped "like a tower"--its bottom
larger than its top.
- Pitom,
the flowered blossom at the tip of the
fruit, and Uketz, the stem which is sunk
into the broad base, must be examined
carefully to make sure that both are
present and intact.
- If the
Pitom falls off or is broken during
Sukkot, a rabbi should be consulted. To
avoid this problem, many people prefer to
use Esrogim which grow without Pitoms.
- The
Pitom should be directly in line above the
Uketz
Uses for
Etrog after Sukkot - Cooking in cakes and
jellies.
Some people
stick cloves into their etrog and use
it as the fragrance spice at havdallah.
 Bartenura
Etrog Citron Liqueur
Delicate,
sweet, silky-smooth with a honeyed perfume
taste.
Etrog comes
from the ancient orchards of south Italy.
Serve this
unique liqueur straight up or over ice.
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