l for lemon + l for love = lemon love♥
lemon trees - Sicily 2012
What could be better than the juice of a lemon added to salad dressings, drizzled over fish and pancakes too? Chop some tarragon add lemon juice and pour over chicken before roasting to enhance the flavour and
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then imagine a delicious slice of lemon meringue pie?
"When life gives you lemons" - make marmalade!
A bowl of lemon slices with Verbena leaves
Top of my list in "duty free" is the fragrance of Citrus Verbena by L'Occitane en Provence.
Picture a warm summer evening strolling in the hills of Provence surrounded by the aromatic scent of wild Verbena then add a twist of citrus from freshly picked lemons - a delicious summer fragrance all wrapped up in a bottle - spritz generously and enjoy.
(this is my personal choice I am not endorsing this product)
a refreshing glass of iced water topped off with lemon
Small slices of sunshine
The three old copper engravings were done by Johann C. Volckamer published in Nuremberg during 1708-14. They are from Volckamer's Nurmbergische Hesperides. Most of the engravings in the Hesperides are devoted to citrus fruits which are positioned above views of gardens and palaces in Germany, Austria and Italy. They are a unique and delightful combination of botanical illustration and landscape.
Nice picture's about the beautiful lemon.
ReplyDeleteThere are many way's too eat the lemon...i do the juice in my green smoothie.
Have a nice week Rosemary.
Greetings,
Inge, my choice
I can't imagine life in the kitchen without a bowl of lemons around.
DeleteLemons make everything taste better. What beautiful engravings, Rosemary. I'd love to have them in my kitchen!
ReplyDeleteAs far as I am aware you can still buy these original copper engravings - just click on via beneath each print and it will take you to the site. They are very pricey though, roughly £800 or €1000.
DeleteFabulous post, just the ticket on a cold and rainy day. I love lemons, they are top of my 'can't do without' list.
ReplyDeleteJean
x
You should be over in the west, we have a beautiful sunny, blue sky day here
DeleteHello Rosemary, You don't have to convince me to love lemons--they are already my favorite flavor, in lemonade, pastries, and all the other uses you mention. I once wrote about using lemon juice in the Taiwan favorite drink, Shan Fen Yuan. Although bought lemon juice is terrible, I have discovered that fresh-squeezed juice can be frozen for quite some time, and still retains its fresh flavor. This is important in Taiwan where lemons are not always available, and when they are tend to come in large bags. Incidentally, when lemons are sold here they are completely green, and so that is the color also associated with lemon candies, drinks, etc.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim - That is an excellent tip - I often buy too many, so freezing the juice is very useful to know about - thank you.
DeleteOh, how lovely fragrances and so much freshness in this post Rosemary! I'm so jealous of those bright, vibrant pictures...Lemons, citrus trees are part of our daily life and I consider myself very lucky to pick this fruit from our grove.
ReplyDeleteWish you again, a healthy and happy New Year.
Olympia
Dear Olympia - I envy you your lemon grove, but if this weather reversal continues may be I too will have a lemon grove!!!
DeleteBeautiful lemon engravings and yes, also here always lemons in the kitchen. My daughter even gave me a small lemon tree bought on her holidays in Italy some years ago and such fun it's doing well despite the colder climate. It's in a big tub on our porch protected against cold winds. On frosty days we move it to the conservatory, I don't hope that's necessary this winter. At this moment there are 9 lemons on the tree. Haha, we use many more of them in the kitchen, but it's fun.
ReplyDeleteLovely that you have a thriving lemon tree - I really think that perhaps I should treat myself to one too.
DeleteVery nice post about the benefits of lemon. A very interesting figures. Regards.
ReplyDeleteThank you Giga - glad that you enjoyed the lemon post
DeleteLemons are so versatile, think of all those unlimited things you can do with it, skin included. Lemon Verbena is good for tea too whether dry or fresh.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy
I didn't know that you could make tea our of Verbena, I must watch out for some
DeleteDear Rosemary, Lemons are a staple in my kitchen and so is fresh lemon juice. We bring lemons home from our visits to Rancho Santa Fe. I always freeze a lot of lemon juice. In the summer, when my fruit is ripe, lemon juice goes into all of my preserves. The frozen juice keeps well and sometimes "forgotten" frozen packages of lemon juice are used with no hint of change in taste.
ReplyDeleteWonderful and colorful post on this wintry day. Thank you Rosemary for bringing a little sunshine this way.
Dear Gina - I remember years ago when lemons were quite expensive so now it is a joy to have them cheaply available all year round. Sometimes I do have too many, so I shall definitely be putting the juice in the freezer from now on.
Deleteand the smell of lemons is absolutely my favorite scent!!!!
ReplyDeleteThere seem to be more fragrances around now that are incorporating lemons into them which I love.
DeleteAnd don't forget lemon curd -- yum yum!
ReplyDeleteYes, I should have shown a pot of lemon curd - I make mine with marrows rather than eggs and it keeps much long.
DeleteYum. We are enjoying hot lemonade with minimal sugar on cold days.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and commenting Jean
DeleteDear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, a great lover of the lemon and all things related, including citric colognes. Several years ago, I was introduced to limoncello, and now try to keep a bottle on hand, always. Limoncello also makes a great and much appreciated gift! Your photograph of the lemons of Sicily reminded me of a Sicilian landlord who once told me that the lemons there can get as big as grapefruit!
Dear Mark - We always have a bottle of Limoncello in our cupboard - I was first introduced to it many years ago when we were in Naples.
DeleteI do believe that your Sicilian landlord might have been exaggerating just a tiny bit!!!!
You could be right — he was a funny man and given to drama!
DeleteDear Rosemary and dear Mark, Mark's Sicilian landlord was right...our friends in California have several trees in their grove that grow lemons as large as the largest grapefruit.
DeleteMy apologies to the Sicilian landlord.
DeleteI keep a bottle of lemon juice in the refrigerator to cook with. When we lived in California we had a few lemon and orange trees that kept us in fresh fruit. Also had olive trees that my husband cured each year. Love the lemon prints. Have you been to Sicily? It's on our list of places we want to visit.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have been to Sicily back in 2012 - do go you would love it.
DeleteI love those engravings they are beautiful. I love homemade lemon curd and my favourite dessert is lemon meringue pie. Mmmm. :))
ReplyDeleteSeveral have mentioned lemon curd, and I should have shown a pot of my lemon curd which I make with marrow instead of eggs. It tastes just the same but lasts much longer.
DeleteDear Rosemary, thanks for leaving a comment on my blog!
ReplyDeleteI love your post praising the lemons! They are so easy available now almost everywhere, that we may forget how much culinary delight they add to our meals and drinks.
Here in Southern California lemons are grown professionally and in private gardens and it is such a joy to pick a fresh lemon and just squeeze its juice over your fish dish. I had two lemon trees in containers, but they both declined in health and at the end I discarded them. This year I will get a new one and intend to plant it into the ground, it is too much of a joy to miss out on if you don't grow your own lemon tree if you can.
I think I might have to check out the fragrance of Citrus Verbena by L'Occitane en Provence. Your descriptions sounds irresistible. Wishing you a nice rest of the week!
Christina
Yes, next time you are dashing through duty free give the fragrance a try and see if you like it.
DeleteI too am thinking of getting a small lemon tree for the conservatory but I know that they can be difficult if kept indoors suffering from little pests.
In our next home, I want a proper conservatory where I can grow and overwinter lemon trees. And lemon meringue pie is one of my favorites! Also lemon sorbet :)
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing better than being able to pick your own grown lemons Loi - hope you find a house with a suitable conservatory in which to grow some.
DeleteI love lemons too!! I love that fragrance as well, especially in the shower gel, it really wakes you up and refreshes too! Life without lemons would be so dull wouldn't it. One of life's true delights! xx
ReplyDeleteYes, I also use a shower gel that has lemons in it - I use the Original Source Tea tree and Lemon which is a very zingy yellow colour.
DeleteYou forgot my favourite - lemon curd - I could finish a jar in one sitting on freshly baked bread. Where would we be without them.
ReplyDeleteI think that you are number three Elaine to mention Lemon Curd - I did forget even though I do have a photo of some. As I have mentioned above I make it with marrow rather than eggs because it lasts longer and tastes the same. I agree it is very tempting to eat more than you should/
DeleteWhat a lovely post , lemons are a must in any kitchen ! A gorgeous fruit growing on a beautiful evergreen...I have a lemon tree growing in my garden and I treasure it.
ReplyDeleteLucky you Jane - if I get one it will have to be in the conservatory.
DeleteAhhh, lovely!!! I miss the lemon trees from California. My dad had the best Meyer lemons that he planted when
ReplyDeleteI was a child. The trees look just like your first picture.
I am pleased that this post brought back happy memories for you of your Dads lemon trees Marica.
DeleteI should use more lemons as a lot end up on the ground here or eaten by possums before I get to them. I do love the smell though.
ReplyDeleteThe possums obviously do not mind their sourness
DeleteI do like lemons and often drink the juice without sugar which not many people di that i know. I use lemons a fair bit...
ReplyDeleteLemon juice is supposed to be good for you - sugar not so good.
DeleteI love lemon! I often use lemons as seasoning in cooking. Nowadays lemon salt is popular but I like to use them fresh. Thank you for sharing the interesting lemon engravings.
ReplyDeleteYoko
Hello Yoko - I am not at all familiar with lemon salt so when I am going off to google it. Lemons do seem to be universally popular.
DeleteExcuse me, Rosemary, but “lemon salt” was different thing. I should’ve written “salted preserved lemon” with no-wax lemon. My daughter-in-law made it and says they can be magically nice seasoning.
DeleteYoko
Thank you for the clarification Yoko
DeleteMmmh - you make my mouth water (as lemons do), and I just add Jamie Oliver's trick to put a lemmon (picked with a toothpick) into a chicken before you roast it . Ah - and I love fresh perfumes I (just discovered "Vent de Folie" by Annick Goutal - lovely and fresh too).
ReplyDeleteI do not know that fragrance Britta, so next time I pass through 'duty free' I will seek it out. When I have squeezed my lemons over the chicken I always pop the remains of it into the chicken along with a clump of thyme.
DeleteYesterday my husband visited the Germany Memories of a Nation - a 600 year history in objects at the British Museum - Angela Merkel was there the day before. He said it is an excellent exhibition, and he learned such a lot about your diverse culture.
Hello Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteYes, the humble lemon cannot be praised too highly in our book. In the capable hands of our housekeeper, Tímea, it plays a vital role in producing thirst quenching lemonade throughout the Summer months and deliciously citrusy chicken whenever the mood takes. And, where would a Gin and Tonic be without a slice?
We have often toyed with the idea of growing Lemon trees in terracotta pots but have never managed it yet. Perhaps they are best marvelled at in their huge quantities in Limonaia in villas across Italy.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful and prosperous New Year!
Thank you for your kind wishes Jane and Lance - it is lovely to see you here again, and I am pleased that all is well with you both.
DeleteI have been thinking of getting a small lemon tree for our conservatory, but you are right they are really best admired in the countries where they can grow naturally within the gardens and landscape.
I just love lemons...in food, bakery...everything! This was a lovely and yellow post Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteTake care...
Love,
Titti
Thanks Titti - I like your comment - 'yellow post'♡
DeleteCan't beat water with ice and lemon, such a refreshing and simple drink. I often slice up lemons and limes to put into our glass water jug for the table, it looks nice as well as tasting fab.
ReplyDeleteYes, the combination of lemons and limes looks very attractive.
DeleteDear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteI am a lemon lover as well, but unfortunately I have two lemon haters at home. Especially in summer, iced lemonade is one of my favourites. You can wake me up for a lemon meringue pie as well ;-)
Have a good weekend!
Madelief x
Lemon meringue pie I love, but just keep it for special occasions - it has rather a lot of calories.
DeleteAnother lemon lover here, who often adds slices of lemon to the water jug. I found the 18th century botanical illustrations fascinating, as the fruit portrayed has a much thicker peel and much less flesh than modern cultivated lemons.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can find out Perpetua there are 13 different types of lemon tree grown today - there may of course been more in the 18th century. Some have thick bumpy skin others, particularly one called Meyer, has a thin skin.
DeleteBeautiful post, I love lemons after reading this I have the urge for some homemade lemon curd. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteAnything made with lemons hits the spot for me and especially lemon curd.
DeleteNice subject and you found a lot of pictures.
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
Filip
A bit of sunny yellow to bring some sunshine into our lives
DeleteHi Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post - aren't lemons the best.
I love them and yesterday was looking at a lemon madeline recipe that I am going to bake.
Happy new week
Carolyn
A Lemon madeline sound perfect - light, fluffy and lemony♡delicious
DeleteI am trying to catch up with people's blogs. And so many are posting about sumptuous food of one sort or another. It's simply not fair; my stomach is growling and it's ages until lunchtime!
ReplyDeleteIf you were here I would give you a jar of marmalade
DeleteHow lovely series of lemon, 100 % C-vitamin to this winter. I'll take one piece of lemon meringue pie.
ReplyDeleteLemon meringue pie is a favourite of mine
DeleteAnother beautiful post Rosemary. I am late but still wish you a wonderful, healthy 2015.
ReplyDeleteWarm wishes Marijke
Thank you Marijke - may 2015 be good to you too.
DeleteI adore lemons and anything lemony! Could it be that mum told me she loved sucking on a lemon - no proverbial pickles for her - when she was pregnant with me? Fabulous lemon pics - one day I shall try to grow them in a pot here.
ReplyDeleteMary x
I want to grow a small lemon tree in the conservatory Mary - know idea what my mother fancied when she was pregnant but it was mint sauce for me, with or without lamb
Delete