Citrus C. limon

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

This ubiquitous idiom is certainly wise advice but contains a fatal flaw: it presumes that lemons are bad

Sure, lemons are sour and not very pleasant eaten on their own. But few other fruits have the versatility of the lemon. It can be made into a drink and used as a seasoning. It can be featured as a major flavoring in both savory and sweet dishes. Lemons can be zested, juiced, puréed, candied, preserved, frozen, roasted, grilled, dried, and caramelized.

Like all citrus fruits, lemons are indigenous to Asia. The lemon is thought to come from India or Southeast Asia, where it was, and still is, commonly used as an antiseptic in addition to a food item. Lemons reached Europe in the first century AD and were very successful, botanically and culturally, in Italy and Spain. Lemon seeds traveled with Colombus to the Americas in the late 15th century and by the early 19th century lemon trees were commonplace in Florida and California.

Lemons are good sources of Vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. They come in many shapes and sizes, the best tasting of which is probably the Meyer lemon. These lemons (thought to be a hybrid of a lemon and an orange) have a thin, golden yellow skin. Meyer lemons are noticeably sweeter, making them great for sorbets and desserts.

Meyer lemons are typified by a thin, golden skin and sweeter juice

To experience the sweeter side of lemons, try this candied lemon zest. Use it as a breakfast condiment, or on top of yogurt or chocolate pudding. The uses are only limited by your imagination.

Candied Lemon Zest:

• 5 lemons
• Granulated sugar, as needed
• Pinch salt

Carefully peel the zest from the lemons in long strips. Be careful to only remove the yellow zest and not any white pith. Trim the strips of any remaining pith. Slice the strips of zest into fine julienne.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the zest for 30 seconds. Drain, then repeat the process twice more with fresh, boiling water.

Juice the lemons then weigh the juice. Add an equal weight of sugar and a pinch of salt. Heat the juice mixture over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the blanched zest then simmer for up to 1 hour. Cool and hold the candied zest in the lemon syrup. This candied zest will hold indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Keep reading Garrett’s Table this week as we will explore a classic Italian lemon apertif.

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