Lemons are too tart to eat on their own, but they are probably used more than any other fruit. Lemons are the defining flavor in many desserts, and they add zest to just about all savory dishes. Lemons grow where other citrus trees won’t. They have a lower heat requirement than sweet oranges and grapefruits….
Lemons
How to Plant, Grow, Prune, and Harvest Citrus
Citrus—oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and kumquats—thrive outdoors where summers are warm and winters are mild. But citrus is not only for warm climates. Citrus fruits can be grown in cool regions in pots or planters that can sit outdoors in warm weather and be moved indoors in cool weather. Citrus fruits take months to ripen—six…
How to Preserve Lemons
Lemon is the most common accompaniment for fish and other seafood dishes. It’s interchangeable with vinegar for many sauces and salad dressings. Here is a way to preserve lemons for use as flavoring in marinades, salad dressings, and many fish and stew recipes. You will find the flavor a bit salty, pleasantly fermented, and just…
Citrus Tree Pruning
Citrus trees are largely self-shaping, requiring little pruning. Occasional pruning to shape leggy branches or to give a citrus tree the desired shape can be done any time of the year except winter. Pinch back tips of new growth to help round out citrus trees. Cut back erratic new growth or trunk suckers not wanted above…
Lemons: Kitchen Basics
Lemons are used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes. They are too tart to be eaten alone. Lemons are rarely eaten raw because they are too tart for out of hand eating. Use lemons to flavor everything from salads to fruit desserts. Lemon is used to enhance the flavor of fish, shellfish, and meat…
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is an essential flavoring for hollandaise, mayonnaise, egg-lemon soup, for pies, soufflés, cakes, ice cream, and sherbet. A squeeze of lemon juice in the butter for vegetables will add a zesty tang. The acidity of lemon juice acts as a tenderizer in marinades for meat, game, or fish. Use lemon juice or a…
Eureka Lemon and Lisbon Lemon: Kitchen Basics
The Eureka lemon and the Lisbon lemon are two bitter-flavored lemons. The Eureka and the Lisbon can be used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes. They can be used in sauces or as an accompaniment to fish and poultry. They can be used in baking and desserts, and their slices or wedges can be…
Sweet Meyer Lemons: Kitchen Basics
The Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a tangerine. Its sweet taste—lemon with a hint of its parent tangerine–has made it a favorite of cooks and gourmets. In fact, some chefs call the Meyer “the gourmet lemon.” Meyers are more round and have a softer, more smooth rind than the bigger, commercial…
