Lemons are real all-rounders. First off, they’re very good for you. Through its high vitamin C content alone, the yellow citrus fruit can replace half the products in your medicine cabinet. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) boosts the immune system and the body’s ability to heal itself, protects against free radicals, and strengthens the hair, skin and gums. In fact, it was an absence of this vitamin that caused sailors to lose their hair and teeth on long journeys where fresh fruit and vegetables were unavailable, before British naval physician James Lind (1716–1794) discovered that citrus fruit prevented scurvy. Lemons are also high in magnesium and potassium, which are good for the muscles, nerves and circulation.

Of course, the act of biting into a sharp lemon is also extremely good for the circulation! Acidic foods stimulate the tastebuds, and lemon boosts the appetite and generates saliva like little else around. Even if it can leave you grimacing!

Whether the juice, grated peel (from untreated fruit) or slices of the fruit are used, lemon gives drinks and dishes an unmistakeable kick. Where sweet and sour flavours combine, sugar or the natural sweetness of foods provides aromatic balance against the sharpness in a lemon sorbet, a moist lemon cake, or a glass of lemonade. It goes without saying that the latter is at its very best when home made, with some freshly squeezed lemon, soda water, sugar and a little mint to taste. Drizzling lemon juice over seafood and fish results in a less “fishy” taste, while it also ensures salads stay crisper for longer.

Shoppers nearly always have the choice between two varieties. The oval “primofiore” lemon is very juicy, and enclosed in a thin, smooth skin. The rounder “verna” variety features a thicker, rougher skin, and is a little less juicy, though contains very few pips. Lemons consumed in Europe are usually grown in Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey, though more lemon trees grow in Mexico than anywhere else in the world.

The lemon also has plenty to offer away from the kitchen: its acid acts as an environmentally friendly cleaning agent against calcium, germs and stains, while when incorporated into cosmetics it can help prevent dry skin and acne. Lemon juice is also regularly found in aromatic oils for baths and burners, with its smell transporting people to southern, faraway lands. Indeed, Goethe once wrote: “Know’st thou the land where the lemon-trees bloom?” in his tribute to Italy, penned centuries ago. Since then, the delightful little fruit has not lost a drop of its evocative power.


Text: Nicoline Haas