WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS,
MAKE LEMONADE!

by Sunny Baker and Michelle Sbraga

The lemon is delightfully versatile. Lemon preserves, decorates, and enlivens our foods. Lemon brings out the flavor in other foods while providing a unique taste of its own. Lemon's piquant flavor pleases our palates in a main dish, brightens a sauce, and livens up a marinade. Lemon slices and twists add a festive finish to an ordinary presentation. Lemon juice quenches our thirst in soothing teas and satisfying punches. If we occasionally reward ourselves with a sweet treat, lemon pies and tarts wait to satisfy our fancies.
When picking lemons from your tree or off the grocer's shelf, look for fruit that is fully yellow. Lemons with green on the rind will be more acidic and have less flavor. Also be aware that a thick, rough, or pebbly rind is a sign of low juice content. So choose lemons with rinds that are lightly pebbled and thin, and try to find fruit that feels heavy for its size.
Lemons should be stored in an airy basket if they will be used within a few days. If left on the counter too long, they may dry up or develop an "off" flavor. Stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, they can be kept for up to three weeks without losing any of their tart lemony goodness.