Re: CHAT: Citrons (was: Danny Wier's PIE (was: Vocab #5))

From: "Barry Garcia" <barry_garcia@...>

> In the Philippines this is known as "Kalamansi" and is used primarily for
> juicing like lemons. The juice is often made into a drink like lemonade.
> If you go to any decent Asian Market you may find the juice already made
> into the drink. Interestingly, the local Longs (They sell different types
> of merchandise including foods), has both Kalamansi (made by different
> companies) and Guyabano drinks (Guyabano is the Soursop). Kalamansi is
> also used like lemons, being squeezed over pancit (here in the US lemons
> are used), or mixed in with patis (fish sauce) or toyo (soy sauce). It's a
> versatile little fruit really, one restaurant has even made a tart with
> it.
We have -- or once had -- a Filipino market here in Lufkin; I outta check it
out sometime. I just don't have a car and I can't walk much on account of my
bad back and feet. (I just started working out in a gym to get back in
shape.)

> By the way, the citrus fruits are primarily tropical or subtropical trees
> and shrubs. Most do well in subtropical or warm temperate climates. Citrus
> that need heat to turn sweet do poor in cooler areas, but sour fruits will
> do fine just about anywhere they dont regularly freeze to death (lemons
> are so ubiquitous here, i've seen them growing near parkinglots).
I live in Texas, one of the citrus-growing states (we grow it mostly in the
southern part of the state, but I live on the east side), and we're renowned
for our Ruby Red grapefruit. Our oranges are decent, and we probably grow
lemons and limes here too. Citron I don't know about.

The only time I see citron in a regular supermarket is in candied peel form,
either alone or mixed with cherry bits (some red, some colored green) and
pineapple chunks, and it's marketed for that evil Christmas product known as
fruitcake.

Personally I prefer the lemon. I put lemon juice in most everything I drink
anyway. Goes great with Dr Pepper (the semi-official state soft drink of
Texas).

~Danny~