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TIP OF THE DAY: Make A Frappe, A Recipe For A New England-Style Milkshake

October 7th is National Frappe Day.

Frappe (pronounced frap) is a New England term for a milkshake, from the French frapper (frap-PAY), “to beat.”

It’s an iced beverage that is made in a blender or a shaker, to produce a foamy drink. Ice is added to increase the foaminess. Milk, sugar, and flavorings can be added. Caramel or chocolate sauce can be used as garnishes, along with whipped cream and a host of others.

A frappe is not a milkshake, and it has its own holiday (National Milkshake Day is September 12th).

“When is a milkshake not a milkshake?” asks New England Magazine.

“In New England, of course, when it’s a frappe (or a cabinet).”

> The recipe is below.

> The differences between a float, ice cream soda and shake.
 
 
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

The article goes on to explain that:

  • Milk. In New England, a milkshake never includes ice cream. It’s more like chocolate (or vanilla, or whatever) milk.
  • Frappe. A frappe has lots of ice cream—what most of us in other regions would call a thick shake. But there’s also ice, to make the drink extra-frosty.
  • Cabinet. If you’re from certain parts of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, you order a cabinet. Why? Because the blender was kept in a cabinet.
  • France. For reference, in France, a frappé is a cold blender drink, like a shake. It originally described frozen fruit juice and even liquor served over shaved ice [source].
  • Greece. In 1957 in Greece, a Nestlé representative invented the coffee frappe by blending instant coffee, cold water, and ice in a shaker (Frappuccino**, anyone?). Since then, the frappe has been one of the most popular drinks in Greece—sometimes referred to as “the national coffee drink [ibid.].
  •  
    New Englanders also refer to sprinkles as jimmies. Why ask why? (There are conflicting stories, none of them satisfactory.)
     
     
    FINALLY, THE É IS RESTORED TO FRAPPÉ

    We hadn’t thought about frappes and jimmies for decades; we lived in Boston long ago. When we moved back to the land of milkshakes and sprinkles, frappes and jimmies faded into the deepest recesses of memory.

    But when we did live in the land of frappes, no one could tell us, a student of French and an editorial stickler, why the accent mark was left off.

    Maybe the area’s menu typesetters didn’t have an aigu, the é with the accent mark? Certainly, it couldn’t be that nobody knew French.

    Etymology notwithstanding, it seems that “frappé” (with the accent) has finally come to New England thanks to L.A. Burdick, one of New England’s finest chocolatiers.

    Burdick has café-chocolate shops in Walpole, New Hampshire (the original), Boston, and Cambridge, with a more recent expansion to Chicago and New York City.

    If you’re in the neighborhood, here are the addresses.
     
     
    LARRY BURDICK’S FRAPPÉS

    Burdick’s frappés combine a chocolate drink (milk and chocolate syrup) with crushed ice and fruit pureé (photo #1). His offerings:

  • Dark chocolate with raspberries
  • Milk chocolate with bananas
  • White chocolate with strawberries
  •  
    Here’s how we adapted the concept.

    1. PURÉE your fruit of choice. Sweeten lightly to taste.

    2. MAKE a thick milkshake in the blender. Crush a couple of ice cubes with an ice tapper or a mallet.

    3. PLACE the purée in the bottom of a tall glass, and top with the shake (photo #1).

    4. GARNISH with whipped cream and a piece of fruit.

    If you’re near a store that sells Magnum ice cream, you can buy dark, milk or white chocolate ice cream.

    Otherwise, punt, with regular vanilla or chocolate ice cream. We used Ghirardelli white chocolate syrup and Talenti Double Dark Chocolate Ice Cream.
     
     
    EASY FRAPPÉ RECIPE

    Ingredients For 1 Drink

  • 2 cups ice
  • 1 cup ice cream
  • ¼ cup premium chocolate syrup
  • Optional garnishes: whipped cream, grated chocolate, mini chocolate chips, jimmies, chocolate syrup
  •  
    Preparation

    1. ADD the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass (or mason jar, or whatever) and garnish as desired.
     
     
    ________________

    *Nonpareils, the precursors of sprinkles/jimmies, date to at least the late 18th-century, if not earlier. They were used as decoration for pièces montées† and desserts.

    The candy company Just Born (maker of Peeps, Mike & Ike, Peanut Chews, and other favorites), then in Brooklyn, New York, claims that its founder, Sam Born, invented the chocolate-flavored sprinkles he called jimmies. However, advertisements for chocolate sprinkles as a confection exist as far back as 1921, predating Just Born’s, established in 1923, by two years.

    But head over to Holland: Dutch hagelslag (sprinkles) were invented in 1913 by Erven H. de Jong in Wormerveer. Here’s more of the story.

    †A pièce montée (mounted piece) is a decorative confectionery centerpiece, created in an architectural or sculptural form. They are made for formal banquets and weddings, of ingredients such as confectioner’s paste, nougat, marzipan, and spun sugar.

    The great French Marie-Antoine Carême, a student of architecture, is reported to have said about pièces montées, that architecture is the most noble of the arts, and pastry the highest form of architecture [source].

    Don’t know ibid?

    **Fun fact: The original Frappuccino was made and trademarked by The Coffee Connection, a coffee shop in Massachusetts. They were bought out in 1994 by Starbucks, which tweaked the recipe a bit and popularized the sweet coffee drink that everyone knows today [source].

     


    [1] A chocolate-raspberry frappe (with the accent mark) from chocolatier Larry Burdick (photo © L.A. Burdick Chocolates).


    [2] A couple of chocolate cookies were tossed into the blender for this version (photo © American Heritage Chocolate).


    [3] Add some spice to your chocolate: cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder (photo © American Heritage Chocolate).


    [4] A full-on frappe. Find the recipe for this and others at Koobie’s Coffee (photo © Koobie’s Coffee).


    [5] A frappe can be any flavor you like (photo © The Milkshake Factory).


    [6] Ready, set, scoop (photo © American Heritage Chocolate).

     
     
     
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    PASTA RECIPE: Spicy Pumpkin Carbonara With Calabrian Chiles


    [1] Bucatini: like spaghetti, but thicker and with a hole down the center (photo by Alicia LaLocanda | CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0 License).


    [2] Spicy Pumpkin Carbonara—recipe below (photo © Delallo).


    [3] Bucatini Ai Frutti Di Mari (mixed seafood). Here’s the recipe (photo © Delallo).


    [4] Bucatini, homemade by The Baker Chick. Here’s her recipe (photo © The Baker Chick).


    [5] Delallo Calabrian chiles in olive oil. You can buy them online (photo © Delallo).


    [6] Just-picked Calabrian chiles, hanging to dry. Learn more about them below. Depending on the subspecies, they can be rounder or longer and narrow (photo © Toldio74 | Dreamstime).


    [7] Bucatini Con Le Sarde: with sardines. Here’s the recipe (photo © Delallo).


    [8] Bucatini With Green Olives, made with our favorite olive, the castelvetrano. Here’s the recipe (photo © Delallo).


    [8] Artichoke, Bacon & Spinach Bucatini. Here’s the recipe ((photo © Delallo).

     

    Our friend Penny, who does not like mushrooms, felt “left out” when she saw our Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine recipe last week.

    So here’s one for Penny, for all mushroom-eschewers, for the pumpkin-happy fall, and for for National Pasta Month, October.

    In this recipe, “spicy” means hot, from the Calabrian chiles (photos #5 and #6). If you don’t want the heat, just omit them.

    Or, check out the bucatini recipes in photos #7, #8 and #9. Thanks to Delallo for the recipe.
     
     
    RECIPE NOTES

    This recipe uses bucatini, a cut we love.

    Bucatini is a long, thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center. It’s a tubular pasta, kin to cannelloni, elbows, penne, rigatoni and ziti.

    The name comes from the Italian buco (BOO-koe), meaning hole.

    The Neapolitans* call it perciato, which means pierced. Either way, it’s a fun cut.

    Why is it fun? Because you can suck the sauce through the straw. It’s messy, but you don’t have to be a kid to try it (at least once).

    Why the hole?

    One reason for the hole is that, in the days when all pasta was made by hand, it enabled a thicker version of spaghetti to cook more evenly, so the inside would not still be hard when the outside was al dente.

  • The hole was made with a rush, a thick, stiff straw; or a thin rod known as a ferretto.
  • Pasta dough was rolled and stretched around the ferretto and the ferretto was then, removed, leaving the hole.
  •  
    Bucatini is common throughout the region of Lazio, particularly Rome†, its capital.

    Popular preparations there use:

  • Buttery sauces with guanciale or pancetta, vegetables, cheese, eggs, and anchovies or sardines.
  • Bucatini carbonara (instead of spaghetti), as well as amatriciana and arrabbiata.
  • Cacio e pepe.
  • Anything with a sauce thin enough to suck through a straw!
  •  
    If you can’t get hold of it bucatini, substitute spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine—or spaghettoni, thick spaghetti without the hole, which is also a fun pasta to serve.
     
     
    RECIPE: SPICY PUMPKIN CARBONARA FOR NATIONAL PASTA MONTH

    Ingredients For 4 Servings

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 egg, plus 2 additional egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling!)
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1-1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 ounces pancetta, diced
  • 2 tablespoons DeLallo Chopped Calabrian Chili Peppers
  • 1 (1-pound) package bucatini
  • Coarse sea salt
  • 1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  •  
    Preparation

    1. BEAT the eggs, cheese, pumpkin and nutmeg in a large serving bowl, until combined. Add the salt and pepper. Set aside, and bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil.

    2. HEAT the olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan. Once the garlic begins to turn golden, remove from the oil and discard. Add the pancetta to the pan. Sauté the pancetta until it becomes golden brown, about 6 minutes. Then add chiles to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

    3. COOK the pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water to finish the sauce.

    4. COMBINE the hot pasta and pancetta mixture with oil in the serving bowl with the egg and cheese. Toss to coat and to gently cook the eggs, which is done with the heat of the pasta. Once combined, add about 1/4 cup of the reserved hot pasta water and toss. If the pasta appears too dry, add another splash of pasta water.

    5. SERVE immediately, with additional parmesan cheese to garnish.
     

    WHAT ARE CALABRIAN CHILES

    Calabrian chiles (or chili peppers) are a variety of native to the Calabria region of Italy (the toe of the “shoe”—the heel is in Apulia).

    They are also called the small red cherry pepper, devil’s kiss and peperone picante Calabrese, which means “spicy pepper of Calabria.”

    The typical harvesting season is late summer through fall.

    Their genus and species, Capsicum annuum, is the same one for bell peppers, sweet/Italian peppers, serrano, cayenne, paprika, and jalapeños. (There are five different Capsicum cultivars.)

    Depending on your personal definition of “hot,” Calabrian chiles are moderately hot or hot, ranging from 25,000 to 40,000 SHU on the Scoville Scale.

    Hot peppers are in the 30,000 to 50,000 SHU range. By comparison, a jalapeño ranges from 2,500–8,000 SHU.

    The chiles are blood-red and small but very flavorful, soaking up more than 300 days of sunshine annually.

    This means that in addition to heat, they have a flavor unique to their terroir: fruity, salty and smoky.

    These popular chiles—a staple in southern Italy—are sold fresh, but also dried, pickled, or stuffed and sold in olive oil.

    DeLallo Foods, an importer of fine Italian foods, sells them that way, ready to use in a recipe or as part of an antipasto.

    Diamante, a coastal town at the top of Calabria (above the “ankle” of the foot, close to the border with Basilicata), holds an annual Peperoncino Festival. The weeklong event takes place every September (in a non-pandemic year) and lasts a week. It attracts visitors from all over the world.
     
     
    HOW TO USE CALABRIAN CHILES

    Calabrian chiles can be served both raw and cooked: baked, roasted and sautéed.

    They pair well with just about anything: cheeses, fish and shellfish, herbs (basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, ), meats (beef, poultry, pork), and vegetables (cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini). You can also use them to stuff olives.

    Fresh chiles will keep up to one week when stored whole and unwashed in the fridge, in a paper or plastic bag.

    The fresh chiles are:

  • Chopped and added to hummus, marinades, salsas and sauces.
  • Mixed into mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt dips.
  • Pickled.
  • Sliced and served over pieces of dark chocolate and onto sandwiches (yes, really—and they’re served this way at the Peperoncino Festival).
  • Tossed into salads.
  •  
    In recipes, the chiles can be:

  • Added to sauces (they are the “arrabiatta”—the heat—in pasta arrabiata [the word means “angry”]).
  • Baked with cheesy dishes such as potatoes au gratin and casseroles.
  • Mixed into pasta and pizza dough.
  • Sautéed with garlic.
  • Stirred into stews and soups.
  • Stuffed with meats, anchovies, capers, or cheeses.
  •  
    They can also be dried and used to:

  • Crush into red pepper flakes (which is typically made from the milder cayenne chile).
  • Flavor honey, oils, vinegar.
  •  

    THE HISTORY OF CALABRIAN CHILES

    Chiles were first introduced to Italy by Spanish traders, likely in the early 16th century. Columbus had brought seeds back to Spain from the Caribbean in 1493.

    These members of the Nightshade** family, were initially met with suspicion, and were mainly used for decoration until they were deemed safe to consume (the same happened with tomatoes, also brought back from the New World, and also Nightshades**).

    Then, chiles were quickly adopted into Italian cuisine, and many new varieties were cultivated in Italy. As mentioned earlier, terroir‡‡ had a big influence on the diverse flavors, sizes, etc.

    Today, outside of Italy, Calabrian chiles are predominantly grown by small growers in Asia, Australia, Europe and the U.S. If you’d like to grow them at home, you can find seeds online [source].

     
    ________________

    *Neapolitans are residents of Naples, Italy. Neapolitan is the language of Naples, and also the name of a species of dog and horse bred in the region, among other references.

    †Rome is not only the capital of the country of Italy, but the capital of the Province of Rome, and the capital of the region of Lazio.

    ‡In the U.S., you can find fresh Calabrian chiles from California; but also dried or jarred versions and Calabrian chile oil. Some stores refer to them as peperoncini, the generic Italian word for hot chiles (singular peperoncino, both cases often spelled with a double “p” in the U.S.). The generic name for sweet chile peppers in Italian is peperoni (singular peperone). If you can’t find Calabrian chiles, you can substitute serrano chiles, crushed red pepper flakes or a hot chile paste like aji amarillo, harissa or sambal olek.

    ‡‡Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH, is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat that affect a crop’s qualities. It includes climate, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics gives a fruit or vegetable its unique character.

    **The Nightshade family, Solanaceae, is a family of flowering plants. Many of their fruits, pods or roots are edible, while others contain the alkaloid solanine, which is toxic in high concentrations (as in the deadly nightshade, or belladonna, and the tobacco plant). Edible members include the cape gooseberry, capsicum (chile), eggplant, goji berry, potato, tamarillo and tomatillo and tomato, among others.

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Produce Storage Tips ~ How To Keep Produce Fresher, Longer

    We’re one of those households that wastes a lot of fresh produce.

    Thanks to Taste Of Home for these tips:

    Some of these you may already know. Most were new to us.
     
     
    APPLE SLICES: SOAK IN SALT WATER

    Sliced apples are a convenient snack or salad topper, but if you slice them in advance, they brown.

    Soak the slices in a bowl of cold salt water, ½ teaspoon of salt or less per quart of water.

    After five minutes, pat dry and store the slices in the fridge in an airtight plastic bag. Your slices won’t brown!

    Why do some sliced fruits brown more quickly than others?

    They contain different levels of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes, which cause browning when oxygen is introduced into the plant tissue.

    The level of PPO not only varies between varieties of fruits, but within different subspecies within the species.

    That’s why, for example, apple varieties like Granny Smith brown less, and less quickly, than Red Delicious.
     
     
    ASPARAGUS: STORE UPRIGHT IN A CUP OF WATER

    Asparagus often can dry out when you keep it a few days before cooking. But it’s easy to keep it moist.

    Treat asparagus as you would flowers. Trim the ends a bit and place the asparagus upright in a glass of water, covering the bottom couple of inches.

    Place a plastic bag over the stalks and place it in the fridge.

    Do the same with fresh herbs, as well.
     
     
    AVOCADO: BRUSH WITH LEMON JUICE

    Avocado may be the fastest “browner” among all the fruits (yes, avocados are a tree fruit, just like apples and pears). They have the most PPO of the fruits most of us commonly eat.

    To avoid browning, squirt it with a little lemon or lime juice, and brush the juice over the cut surface (truth to tell, we use our fingers).

    The citric acid will help prevent browning for at least a day. This also works with guacamole.
     
     
    BANANAS: WRAP THE STEMS WITH PLASTIC WRAP

    Bananas give off lots of ethylene gas, which makes them brown.

    Separate each banana from the bunch and wrap it in plastic wrap to stop the spread of the gas.

    If the bananas are already too ripe for your liking, peel them and store them in the freezer. You can use them to make banana bread and other banana desserts.

    Try them in a Banana Daiquiri: You’re in for a treat!
     
     
    BERRIES: RINSE WITH VINEGAR>

    You’re often told not to wash produce before you refrigerate it. But berries are different:

    They carry mold spores that develop and rot the fruit, as you’ve noticed if you keep berries for longer than several days after you bring them home.

    Wash your berries with a mix of vinegar and water in a 1:3 ratio and pat them dry before refrigerating (we let ours dry on the countertop).

    This disinfects against mold, which can lengthen shelf life by weeks.

    Rinse the berries thoroughly when you’re ready to eat them.
     
     
    BROCCOLI: PLACE STEMS-DOWN IN A GLASS OF WATER

    Trim off the dried stem bottoms and place the head in in a glass of water.

    As with asparagus, only the bottom of the stems need to be in the water. Cover with a plastic bag.

    If you’ll be eating it in the next day or so, a wet paper towel wrapped around the head will do.

    If you feel you won’t be eating it anytime soon, slice it and freeze it. You can add the frozen slices to omelets, soups and other dishes.
     
     
    CARROTS: STORE WITH WATER

    Do your carrots get that dried-out look? Just like broccoli, loves moisture. To avoid the dryness, first chop off their leafy tops (here are 25 uses for carrot tops, and a recipe for carrot top pesto).

    The leaves typically pull nutrients out of their roots (i.e., the carrots we eat).

    Place the trimmed carrots in a container filled with water, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Fresh carrots will stay moist for 3-4 weeks this way.

    If you don’t have space in the fridge for a stand-up container, wrap the carrots in bubble wrap.

    This allows just enough moisture from the fridge to reach the carrots.
     
     
    CAULIFLOWER: WRAP IN A WET TOWEL

    Loosely wrap a wet paper towel around the head of the cauliflower and place it in a plastic bag, before placing in the fridge.

    This storage trick will keep your cauliflower fresh (holding off the brown spots) for up to 14 days

    If you’re not going to eat it anytime after that, you can freeze cauliflower for up to eight months.

    Cut it into pieces, first. Slice and freeze the stems as well: They’re just as delicious.
     
     
    LEMONS: DON’T CUT THEM IN HALF

    If you need just a squeeze of citrus juice but don’t need to juice the whole lemon, just puncture it with a fork or skewer instead of cutting it in half.

    This way, you can squeeze out what you need without drying out the entire lemon.
     
     
    LETTUCE: STORE WITH A PAPER TOWEL

    This trick can be used if you want to wash lettuce in advance, or if you’ve prepared too much of it.

    Wrap unused (and undressed) leaves in paper towels, then insert them into a plastic bag (or plastic wrap). Place in the crisper drawer.

    The towels will absorb moisture, which prevents the leaves from becoming soggy and brown.

    Replace the towel(s) when it becomes damp. Don’t pack the leaves too tightly: They need to breathe.
     
     
    MELON & MANGO: CUT INTO LARGE SLICES

    When they’re ripe, cut them into large slices, wrap the slices in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge.

    Watermelons are usually ripe* when you buy them, and can be stored on the counter for 7-10 days.
     
     
    ONIONS: WRAP IN PANTYHOSE

    Nylon pantyhose and knee-highs with runs have a second life: storing onions. The mesh-like material allows just enough air to reach the onions, which helps them stay fresh.

    Insert the onions into the leg and tie a knot between each bulb.

    But remember, don’t place onions in the fridge! Store them in a dry, dark, aerated space.

    And when you buy onions, be sure that the skins are intact. They help the onion last longer.
     
     
    POTATOES: STORE WITH APPLES

    Apples produce ethylene gas that can keep your potatoes fresh for more than eight weeks: no sprouts popping up.

    Just make sure that you don’t store the potatoes near the onions. Both onions and potatoes release moisture, which can lead to faster spoiling for both.
     
     
    TOMATOES: STORE ON THE COUNTER STEM SIDE DOWN

    Never store tomatoes in the fridge: The cold can degrade their flavor and texture.

    Tomatoes do not like the cold so if you keep them in the fridge, they’ll lose their ideal flavor and texture.

    Place them on the counter stem side down, as this part of the fruit is the last to ripen.

    If the tomatoes have been cut, store halves cut-side down on a paper towel inside a storage container and use within two days.

    If they’re smaller slices, also store them in a sealed container. If you’re not going to use them, freeze them.
     
     
    > Also See How To Store Produce

     


    [1] Protect apple slices from browning (photo © Stemilt Fruit).

    Fresh Green Asparagus
    [2] Keep asparagus fresher, longer (photo © Baldor Food).

    Ripe bananas
    [3] Stop bananas from over-browning (photo © Baking Library).


    [4] Keep mold from berries (photo © Green Giant Fresh).

    Broccoli Stalks
    [5] Help broccoli stay fresh, longer (photo © Burpee).


    [6] Stop carrots from drying out (photo © Grimmway Farms).


    [7] Keep cauliflower from developing brown spots (photo © Jennifer Schmidt | Unsplash).


    [8] There’s no need to cut lemons in half if you need a little juice (photo © Caroline Attwood | Unsplash).


    [9] Lettuce (photo © Meiteng | RGB Stock).

    Cantaloupe
    [10] Sliced ripe melon so it lasts longer (photo © Good Eggs).


    [11] You can keep potatoes from sprouting (photo © Melissa’s Produce).

     
    ________________

    *When purchasing a watermelon, look for the yellow spot on the bottom. Watermelons develop a yellow splotch where they rest on the ground. When the spot is creamy yellow, it’s ripe. Another trick is to thump the underbelly of the watermelon. A ripe one will have a deep, hollow sound. Uncut watermelons will last 7-10 days on the counter and 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

      

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    FOOD 101: What’s An Etrog?


    [1] While there’s not much fruit inside, here are recipes to use etrogs. If you see a fruit that looks the same but is lime green, it’s a kaffir/kieffer lime (photo © My Jewish Learning).


    [2] Just-harvested etrog with its leaves (photo © Kara Idelka | Panther Media).


    [3] Inside an etrog: lots of edible pith, little juice (photo © Sid Wainer).


    [3] Here’s a recipe for etrog jam (photo © Apeloig Collection).

     

    Recently, we encountered a fruit we’d not heard of before: the etrog, a species of citron that looks like a bumpy lemon.

    Then we discovered that it’s something with which we were quite familiar: citron, the fruit with a very fragrant rind that’s candied and used in baking.

    Etrog = citron. It’s the Hebrew word for it*.

    Etrog has a delightful lemon scent and flavor, though most of it comes from the peel. There is little flesh inside (photo #3), although what there is provides juice.

    Etrog (EH-trog*), Citrus medica, is a member of the citrus family, Rutaceae.

    But it’s a different species from grapefruits, lemons, limes, mandarins and oranges.

    Etrog is one of for species of citron: the yellow citron, used by Jews during the week-long holiday of Sukkot† in holiday rituals is the yellow citron or Citrus medica etrog for the performance of the Sukkot (October 2-9, 2020).

    Here’s a summary of how etrog is used in the celebration of Sukkot.

    Unlike the other fruit trees of the Holy Land—date, fig, grape and pomegranate, for example—etrog required intense irrigation.

    It is a fragile crop: difficult to grow and delicate to handle and ship; both of which are reflected in the high price. Even historically, the fruit was exotic and costly (as it remains today).

    Today, etrog is largely grown in Israel, Italy and Morocco. In the U.S., they are grown at Pearson Ranch in California, where the season can vary but is typically September through June.

  • The peel is used to make candied citron.
  • The thick white pith is edible and mildly sweet.
  • There is a small amount of juice in three of the four species‡.
  •  
    In addition to the candied citron, the fruit can be used to make cake, candy, cookies, flavored salt, jam and liqueur (it’s called cedrello, a cousin of limoncello), among other foods.

    Citron syrup can be used as a condiment or mixed into sparkling water, and as a sweetener for tea and cocktails.

    Using The Pith

    The white pith is the sweetest part of the fruit.

  • Thinly slice it and eat it as a salad, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
  • Toss the sliced pith with black olives and shallots; allow to marinate for an hour before serving.
  • Top bruschetta or crostini (the difference), mixed with lemon juice and a bit of coarse sea salt.
  •  
    Here are links to more recipes and still more citron recipes.
     

    THE HISTORY OF ETROG

    Botanical historians have found the roots of etrog in the Far East. It was carried westward, by unknown traders and travelers as well as Alexander the Great, who carried it with his stores throughout the Mediterranean region.

    In 332 B.C.E., “it was well-rooted as the first citrus fruit in the western world” [source].

    Etrog was described in detail by the great Greek naturalist Theophrastus, a contemporary of Alexander. He extolled it for its medicinal value as well as its fragrance.

    There is evidence of etrogs appearing in Jerusalem as early as the 7th century B.C.E. [source]. Etrog seeds have been found in Mesopotamian excavations dating back 6,000 years.

    There is evidence of cultivated in the Jerusalem region in the second century B.C.E. Pollen from the etrog was found in an excavation; the archaeologists speculate that the fruit was brought there from India via Persia.

    Etrog appeared in the Peloponnesus in southern Greece, and Mauritania, in the first and second centuries. It then dispersed to Lebanon, Syria, Greece and Italy. From Israel it traveled to Northern Africa: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco.

    But why would a fruit with almost no pulp, that needs copious quantities of water and care, and that is particularly fragile, be grown in orchards in the Mediterranean region?

     
    For one, it was required for religious reasons, as commanded in the Torah. Etrogs have been used in Sukkot religious rituals since at least the second century B.C. E. [source].

    And then, it was for perceived medicinal value. Historically, etrog has been used to treat muscular pain, seasickness and skin disease. In India, the peel is still eaten to remedy bad breath. In Panama, citron leaves are ground up and combined with other ingredients as an antidote for poison
    [source].

    These and other medicinal uses explain why etrog is classified as Citrus medica.

    ________________

    *Etrog is Sephardic Hebrew, plural etrogim. In Ashkenazi Hebrew it is esrog, plural esrogim.

    †Sukkot is commonly translated as Feast of Tabernacles, Festival of Shelters, and Feast of Ingathering. It is a biblical Jewish holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Israeli calendar, Tishrei.

    ‡One etrog variety has very small juice sacs in the center, although the giant Yemenite etrog has no juice inside at all. Etrog cultivars include Diamante (Yanaver), which is acid and seedy, grown in Calabria; Assads, which is acidless and often seedless, grown in Morocco; Israeli selections such as Braverman, Halperin and Lefkovich, and Kibilevitch, which are acid and seedy; and Yemen (Temoni), which has seeds but no juicy flesh, and originated in Yemen [source].

     
      

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    HALLOWEEN FUN: Oreo Cookie Pop With A Special Creme Drizzle

    If you read THE NIBBLE regularly, you know how much we like Cookie Pop and Candy Pop, by Snack Pop.

    These inspired snacks coat popcorn with favorite candy and cookie flavors.

    Parent company SNAX-Sational Brands has done deals with some of America’s favorite snack brands to create:

    Butterfinger Candy Pop, Chips Ahoy! Cookie Pop, Oreo Cookie Pop, Candy Pop made with TWIX® candy, Candy Pop made with SNICKERS® candy and Candy Pop made with M&M’S® Minis.
     
     
    …AND A HALLOWEEN FLAVOR

    Now there’s a new flavor, for the biggest candy day of the year: Halloween.

    To celebrate Halloween, Snack Pop has created Halloween Cookie Pop.

    Like regular Oreo Cookie Pop, it’s made with Oreo cookie pieces. But for Halloween, it’s topped with an orange creme drizzle.

    This special edition offering is only available at Sam’s Club nationwide, in a 20-ounce club-size bag for $5.98.

    Needless to say, it was tough to put a clip on the bag in order to stop eating it

    All Snack Pop flavors are only 150 calories per serving, low in sodium, non-GMO, and OU Kosher (Dairy).

    Head to Sam’s Club to get yours. (Tip: You’ll want to buy more than one bag.)
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF CANDY
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF POPCORN

     


    [1] Make your Halloween even happier with a bag—or two, or three—of Halloween Cookie Pop (photo © SNAX-Sational Brands).


    [2] We love it too (photo © NeOn Brand | Unsplash)!

     

      

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