All In Good Taste / April 2006
Squeezing, Pleasing Lemon
Lemons, originally found in Northern India, and prized for their unique flavor, enhance culinary delights around the world. Archaeological evidence of their ancestry includes a lemon-shaped earring from 2500 BC in the Indus Valley.
Lemons were being cultivated in Palestine as early as the first century AD, and perhaps in Greece as well. By the second century, Libya was exporting them to Rome. A mosaic from the second century AD shows recognizable, fruit bearing lemon trees, but, the fruit was expensive and rarely encountered.
Lemons first became popular in the late Middle Ages, perhaps brought back by soldiers returning from Crusades since the lemon comes naturally packaged with a durable skin that is practical for transport by caravan or sea vessel. Traders and botanists delighted in discovering and learning the value of lemons.
No citrus fruits are native to the western hemisphere; all have been brought in. It is believed that Columbus brought citrus seeds to the new world, on his second voyage in 1493, to his settlement in Haiti.
The ladies of Louis XIV’s court used lemons to redden their lips. Victorian ladies relied on lemons to lighten freckles. English sailors found them invaluable to combat scurvy. Third century Romans believed lemon was an antidote for poisons. Chinese emperors were known to be fond of lemonade.
Merchants marketed the lemon as a “golden apple”, for flavoring and preserving food; healing and soothing skin and as part of a healthy beverage. Customers traded fine cloths, precious metals and artifacts for fresh lemons. Citrus traveled with other produce like figs to Turkey, Pakistan, Iran and farther West. Lemons made their way to the U. S with the help of Catholic missionaries and were planted in Arizona and California. The two states still produce about 95 percent of the U.S. crop.
There are three types of lemons but the most common are Eureka and Lisbon. The Meyer lemon, a cross between a lemon and possibly a mandarin or orange is unusually sweet but thin-skinned and difficult to find since it isn’t grown commercially. However, juices and sauces with the Meyer lemon are readily available and worth a try.
Lemon trees bloom throughout the year, and fruit is picked six or more times a year. An average commercial tree yields about 1500 lemons per year. Lemons contain 30 to 45 percent juice depending on variety, climate, maturity when harvested, and storage conditions. A medium lemon has 15 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates and 90 mg of potassium.
Most citrus will freeze when fruit temperature drops to 27-28°F, so frost protection is critical. Growers in California and Arizona rely mostly on wind and water to protect lemon trees. Large fans on poles lifted about fifty feet above the grove go on when temperatures approach freezing. The fans mix the slightly warmer air above the grove with colder air near the ground, warming the air around the tree. Applying water to trees is another method. Heat built up in the soil during the day is lost more slowly, and air temperatures around the fruit stay warm a little longer. Few growers still use oil-burning heaters because of the cost.
Getting fruit from the tree to the table is complicated. Lemons are picked by hand and put into bins holding 900 pounds which are trucked to a packinghouse, where the lemons are pre-graded to eliminate bad fruit and washed. Their natural wax, removed during washing, is replaced by food grade, non-animal source wax to restrict moisture loss and extend shelf life. Then, the fruit is graded, usually by electronic camera systems, and divided by size. Lemon cartons are volume-filled with a set number of fruit, stacked on pallets and placed in a pre-cooler before transport.
Besides flavor and food preparation, lemons are used for beauty, health, and environmentally safe cleaning. Lemon-scented baths and citrus facials are popular spa treatments. A bowl of fresh lemons adds fragrance and color to a room for days. A slice of lemon adds visual appeal and flavor to a glass of water. Fresh lemon is a tasty alternative to salt or butter for low sodium or low fat recipes. The grated zest of fresh lemon adds flavor intensity to cakes and cookies and a quick squeeze adds life to leftover soups, stews and chicken dishes. Lemon juice can be used to dissolve hard water deposits, shine brass and copper or, mixed with olive oil, to polish furniture. PL
Lemon Curd
Lemon curd, a British teatime favorite is a sweet, yet tart, velvety spread that is heavenly on freshly baked scones, muffins, and tea breads. Try this simple but scrumptious quick recipe.
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
(4 to 6 lemons)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Bring just to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Beat eggs into cooled lemon mixture until well blended. Return to heat and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats spoon. Remove from heat. Store in refrigerator.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
Top • Home • Subscribe • Advertise • Submit • Distribution • Contact
Support Our Advertisers • Organization Resources • Women Owned Business
Send an Email About This Article