J ernm ini

he holiday is over The
sukkah is down. It's time
to get back to work.
But what about that etrog.
After all, it cost enough mon-
ey.
One possibility is making et-
rog jam. This recipe comes
from Hanna Ungar of Oak
Park, who regularly makes
this delicious concoction,
which she herself invented,
for family and lucky friends.

T

Etrog jam
I etrog
2 lemons
2 oranges
1 /2 cup water
2 cups sugar

THE APPLETREE

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM EDITOR

12

t isn't often that you can
buy and decorate a second
home for less than $100.
Well, it might cost a lit-
tle more if you opt for
something a touch more
elegant, or eccentric, per-
haps add a chandelier
or two, a space heater
and a cuckoo clock (all of
which some local residents
have done). And you can select
a nice, new table and chairs, or
maybe some different art for
the walls. But for the most
part, you'll find this house dis-
tinctly affordable.
The reason for this second
home is Sukkot, which this
year falls on sundown Friday,
Sept. 27. It's often called the
"holiday of booths," but the
sukkah actually is supposed to
serve as one's house throu
out the week. You can eat your

meals, study, even sleep there.
Whether you're planning a
sukkah a la Martha Stewart,
something along the lines of
Andy Warhol, or a sukkah with
a Victorian flair, you'll need to
start with the basic structure.
Building a sukkah is the first
step in preparing for one of
the most fun holidays on the
Jewish calendar. There's lots of
eating, lots of merriment and
lots of adventure, too, like
"sukkah hopping." (Just start
saving for the candy; details
upcoming.)
As you get started with your
sukkah, the easiest thing to do
— unless you're a "This Old
House" addict, determined to
start from scratch — is build
from a kit. Judaica stores in
most cities with a large Jewish
population, including Detroit,
sell or can order affordable kits

which you'll be able to put to-
gether in a few hours.
One of the most popular of
these comes with a metal pipe
frame and the familiar yellow-
and-blue canvas sides. It first
came on the market in the
1960s and continues to be a
big seller to this day.
But there are other options.
Many of the newer sukkah kits
still include a frame of pipe and
sides of canvas, but the canvas
now comes in various colors.
Some feature printed designs,
and some are vinyl coated or
otherwise waterproofed. Other
sukkah kits come with rigid
sides of plastic or fiberglass.
Additionally, a number of lo-
cal hardware stores sell sukkah
panels made of particle board
— heavy and awkward to
move, but very stable. If you're
handy with a hammer, you

Soak the etrog for seven
days, changing the water daily.
Soak the lemon and oranges
for the last three days, also
changing the water every da
On the seventh day, boil
each of the fruits, separately,
for five minutes, changing the
water each time Cool fruits in
cold water.
Slice fruits thin and remove
pits.
Meanwhile, in another pot
boil 1/2 cup water with 2
cups sugar, stirring constantly.
When sugar is completely dis-
solved (leaving a syrupy liq-
uid), add the sliced fruit Mix
and continue to cook on low
fire. Stir, and watch jam to
make certain it does not bum
(you may need to add a little
extra water). The mixture is
done when the syrup is thick
and the fruit is soft.
Cool mixture until a thin
skin forms on top. Place jam in
sterilized jars.