Lemons
What is it about the lemon?
It’s cheery disposition and zesty interior, perhaps? To me
this citrus fruit speaks of spring, freshness, and alertness. That breath of new life that can be
easily accessible with a simple squeeze. My relationship with lemons is one of extravagance, I
feel that I can rarely have enough and tend to buy bags at a time. The wonderful thing is that
they are delicious as a lemonade as well as sliced thinly and dried, so there is rarely a reason to
have too few on hand.
The new life that lemons give has brought me incredible solace in sickness as well as
health. My favorite flu tea is made with fresh lemon slices and copious amounts of ginger and
honey. Not only will this tea wake up the immune system, but it cleanses sinuses and
inflammation alike. They are an incredible bright yellow anomaly countered only by the banana
in their brilliance and far less likely to bruise. Lemons make a fantastic pairing with lavender,
allowing the floral accents to be heightened and diffuse simultaneously.
But some of my favorite uses for lemon are as an acid.
Whether in cooking that is to
freshen up a fragrant salad or to tenderize meat, acids are some of the most important aspects
of the kitchen. Acids start to eat away at the more dense parts of plant or meat and allow them
to become more vibrant, tender and moist. Lemon and its incredible power can lighten hair
naturally and can transform a purple bath of dye into a red one.
The lemon tree, featured in a popular Fool’s Gold song, is native to Northern Africa and
Spain and was discovered in the year 1000 CE. It is a cross between two different citron species
that allows for a tart but delectable fruit. It grows best in sub-tropical regions like Italy and
California (which are two of the lemon hubs at this time) and produces fruit all year round. You
can actually grow a lemon tree indoors rather well if you live in a heated space even in a
wintery place. The whole tree smells zesty and fresh so it is a nice addition for the home.
Lemon Recipes
Citrus and Beet Cured Salmon
-
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 orange -
1 grated roasted beet
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2 Tsp sugar
• 1 lb fresh high-quality salmon
Instructions
1. Gather ingredients. Zest lemon, lime, and orange amd grated beet.
2. Combine salt, sugar and citrus zest in a small bowl.
3. Clean salmon and set aside.
4. Lay out a layer of 18 in of aluminum foil and lay a equal sized layer of parchment paper
on that.
5. On the parchment paper, spread 1/3 of the salt/sugar/zest mixture (curing mixture).
Place salmon on top of this. Spread the other 2/3 of the curing mixture on top of the
salmon so that it is evenly and fully covered.
6. Fold parchment and aluminum foil around the curing mixture covered salmon.
7. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
8. The next day, remove salmon from the wrapping and wash the curing mixture off with
water. Dab dry with paper towels.
9. Thinly slice.
10. Enjoy!
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