[Sca-cooks] Panforte

[Terry Decker]

Citron in the period texts is the  fruit of Citrus medica and is related to 
the lemon.

Citron is also used in the 19th and 20th Centuries for Citrullus lanatus 
var. citroides. a group of globose watermelon.  The use appears to be after 
the melons' taxonomic description.  Within period, these would have been 
referred to a melopepones.

Bear


----- Original Message ----- 

In recently looking through some of the old (1800's and early 1900's) cook 
books
that I

have, in them, citron is candied watermelon rind. This was very interesting 
as
I always thought "citron" was a big fruit like a grapefruit, found in the
Mediterranean, with a really thick dense pith and rind. I have seen pictures 
of

these and the rind is candied to make the citron that we see in recipes for
fruitcake and such.


So what do you all know citron to be? And could the citron in the period
recipes possibly 'BE' candied melon rind instead of the citrus fruit?

Just wondering.

Mirianna