is for Lemon–
bright queen of flavors

Lemons are considered to be native to India and the Far East, and they apparently were unknown to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The early Europeans learned to cultivate lemons from the Arabs, who had established groves well before the Crusades of the thirteenth century. For a time, French merchants held a monopoly on all citrus fruits. The Spanish established the first lemon groves in the early 1600s in what is now Florida. Currently, about 80 percent of the United States’ crop grows in California. While cultivated varieties do not grow true from seed, there are at least fifteen cultivars of Citrus limon around the world, as well as many other members of the Rutaceae, or rue, family, of which the lemon is one.

Lemons Are Healthy

In terms of health and nutrition, lemons are best known for their bioflavonoid content, which helps strengthen the inner lining of the blood vessels, veins, and capillaries. The peel contains the antioxidant vitamin C and a volatile oil that is antiseptic and antibacterial, and is said to kill staph, strep, typhoid, and bacterial meningitis. (This does not mean you should eat lemon peels to cure said conditions.) The peel, in fact, is the part that contains the flavonoids; you can add some washed, chopped organic lemon, including the yellow peel and white membrane, to smoothies or salads to obtain these nutrients instead of taking a vitamin tablet. Yes, it will taste somewhat bitter, but bitters are also a digestive stimulant. As for the lemon juice, although it is acidic, once digested it has an alkaline effect and is very balancing. Lemon juice is tonic to the liver and pancreas, and you can drink plain, unsweetened lemon water for this effect; it tastes wonderful. Lemon has an antihistamine effect and reduces inflammation; I suspect lemon water may help relieve the symptoms of hay fever as well.

Perhaps some of the best-known home remedies using lemon are for coughs and colds. Hot honey-lemonade comes to mind: simply boil a cup of water, squeeze in lemon to taste, and stir in a small dab of honey. You don’t have to be sick to like it, and if it’s close to bedtime, you could add a dash of whisky (depending on your age) for a good night’s sleep. Remember not to give honey (or whisky) to babies. Another hot lemon remedy for cold symptoms is a tea made with a pounded garlic clove, a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of cinnamon, and a dab of honey. The following lemony cold and flu combination includes health-enhancing herbs.

Lemony Cold and Flu Tea

Boil 1 cup water; add 1 tablespoon chopped lemon peel and a pinch each sage and thyme (fresh or dried), then steep 15 minutes. Strain, then add the juice of half a lemon and a small dab of honey. Drink at least twice a day.

Lemons Are Tasty

Lemon is one of the commonest and most beloved of flavorings. From lemon cheesecake and salty Moroccan preserved lemons to icy Italian lemonade to honey-lemon roast chicken glaze (a recipe I helped my dad create for a contest—no, we didn’t win), lemon is by far the brightest queen of flavors. I can’t imagine a kitchen without lemons; I use them all the time. What follows are just a few of hundreds of recipes that feature lemons. As always, I recommend using organic whenever possible. I don’t see how you could wash off pesticide residue anyway, as it’s in the food as well as on it.

This Greek-inspired comfort food can be enjoyed hot or cold, and it makes 1 quart.

Egg-Lemon Soup with Rice

4 cups basic chicken broth (see page 99, “C is for Chicken Soup”)

¼ cup arborio rice (a special short-grain Italian risotto rice that cooks up creamy rather than grainy—use long-grain white rice if you can’t find it)

3 egg yolks

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, strained (1–2 medium lemons)

Salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer, add the rice and a pinch of salt, then cover partially and simmer about 20 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice until frothy. After rice is cooked, take 1 cup hot broth and very slowly pour it into the egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, whisking to prevent curdling. Stir at low heat for about 5 minutes. Do not boil! Season with salt and pepper. If desired, fresh, chopped parsley makes a pretty garnish. This soup should not be reheated once chilled.

This next recipe is a classic lemony combination and is perfect for spooning over steamed veggies such as asparagus or green beans, or as a dip for artichokes.

Lemon Butter with Capers

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and patted dry

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf

Melt butter slowly over low heat. Add remaining ingredients and warm through. Simple and elegant.

Although lavender isn’t commonly used in the kitchen except maybe in French seasoning blends, it has a very interesting quality. Here, as a flavoring to old-fashioned lemonade, it is unbelievably refreshing. A special thanks to Jayne for introducing me to this delightful beverage.

Lavender Lemonade

1 cup water

2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers

½ cup sugar, or to taste

½ cup fresh lemon juice (2–3 lemons)—pick out the seeds

4 cups water

Boil 1 cup water, remove from heat, add lavender, stir, and then cover and steep 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine sugar, lemon juice, and 4 cups water in a large pitcher or jar, stirring well to dissolve sugar. Strain lavender tea through a fine mesh, then add to the lemonade. Chill well, and serve over ice.

This next idea is so sweet and simple; you must try it at least once this summer. I learned about it from a Martha Stewart publication, and I can’t find the original source, but you can still give her credit for it.

Dainty Ice Cubes

Take an empty ice cube tray, fill halfway, and place a tiny lemon wedge in each cube section; freeze until mostly set, then add more water to fill the rest of the way. Freeze completely, then use with iced tea or the lemonade recipe above. Naturally, you can use a lime wedge as well, or a mint leaf, or a slice of strawberry or peach—whatever seems like a good idea at the time.

Along these same lines, you can freeze thin slices of lemon on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Transfer to a freezer bag, and use like an ice cube to chill and flavor a drink at the same time.