Etrog Delivery or Pickup

An etrog is a yellow citron used by Jewish people during the weeklong holiday of Sukkot. It's believed to be the first citrus to arrive off the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It's also believed that Jews began using etrog in at least the second century B.C.E. Ancient Greeks and Romans also enjoyed the fruit, as they both enjoyed its scent and ate the pith in salads. Today, Israel grows about a million etrogs annually, with one-third of its crop getting shipped to the United States.

The fruits are rather large, averaging 4 to 6 inches in length. They have an oblong shape with one end flattened and curved while the other is tapered and pointed. The fruits have a thick and bumpy rind, but their textured surface is covered in oil glands. When the skin of the etrog is rubbed, it emits a fragrant aroma similar to that of a lemon and violets. Opening the fruit gives you a thick white pith that is surprisingly sweet. Once opened, you can divide it into 11 to 13 segments.

One notable characteristic of the etrog is the dried flower stigma, also called the pitam, which extends from the non-stem end. This pitam is used for religious purposes.

The etrog is available from the fall through the winter. The etrog plant blooms several times a season, so the fruit is available for several months. If you're looking for etrog for Sukkot, look for ones that are the size of a hen's egg. You can use larger ones as long as they can fit in one hand. You also want ones that have few black specks or other blemishes. It should look somewhat oblong and not round like a ball and have a bumpy texture.

You want to avoid etrog with bubble projecting from its exterior in more than two locations and have discolorations in more than two areas.

When cooked, the etrog is used for its fragrant rind and pith. You should remove the ends of the fruit as well as the seeds and flesh, so you're left with the rind and pith. From there, you can lightly boil the pith and rind to remove bitterness and then simmer them in sugar. This helps them to develop a sweet flavor.

You can add cooked etrog into baked goods such as cookies and cakes, or you can convert the boiled pieces into pieces of candy as candied citron is a traditional ingredient in fruitcake. Peeling off the thick yellow skin and them simmering the fruit can result in a liquid that you can turn into jelly, jam, or marmalade. Another option is to use it as a simple syrup and infuse it into vodka, tea, or sparkling water.

Don't think you can only use your etrog to eat. Use a needle or kitchen tool to puncture holes in the fruit, and insert cloves into these holes. As the fruit dries, it will lock in the cloves and give off a fragrant scent.

If you need etrog for your next gathering, save yourself some time and order through Instacart. Open the Instacart app, add the etrog to your cart, and an Instacart shopper will get started on your order. You can get same-day delivery so your etrog will be at your house in as little as two hours.