A Zest for Life by Rosanna Mignacca
Bright and lovely lemons, like little bursts of citrusy sunshine, are one of the world’s most versatile and nutritious fruits. From savory to sweet, lemons enhance the taste of almost everything. Their unique ability to draw out flavor makes them a favorite addition to fish and meats, but also teas, pies, cakes, candies, fruit dishes, and of course, they are the star ingredient in that warm weather staple, tall cold pitchers of lemonade.
The difference between finding your meal mediocre, or giving it a five-star review, can often be a squeeze or two of fresh lemons. Lemons add zest to a meal, making food taste better, fresher and even look brighter. The lemon is an inherent ingredient of fine cuisine. So much so that professional chefs keep a bowl of them at every workstation, which led to the decor craze of a dish of lemons in every kitchen. But, if you keep lemons around simply to look at, you should really get to know them better! Lemons have always been used to accompany fish and deep fried foods, but also add a sweet acidic touch to sauces, marinades, and dressings. They bring out the fresh scent and stop discoloration of many raw cut-fruits and spices, while their pectin content makes them a natural for jellies and jams. Many Mediterranean salads call for raw chopped lemons. Of course, lemon zest is also a star ingredient in a long list of foods and drinks. 48
Top photo by Valentyn Volkov. Bottom photo by iStockphoto
Photo by Liv Friis-Larsen
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