VERSATILITY OF LEMONS

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

The versatility of lemons is evident in these many uses:

# Freshen the air: Spray a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water from a plastic bottle.

# Remove soft cheese from a grater: Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.

# Clean lime scale off a sink or faucet: Rub cut end of lemon half over the problem area.

# Clean a microwave oven: Add 4 tablespoons lemon juice to 1 cup water in a microwave-safe, 4-cup bowl. Boil for five minutes in the microwave, allowing the steam to condense on the inside oven walls; wipe clean.

# Sanitize or deodorize a wooden cutting board: Rub a slice of lemon or pour lemon juice over board.

# Remove tough food stains on a light-colored wooden cutting board: Squeeze juice from lemon half onto the stained area, rub, and allow to sit for 20 minutes before rinsing with water.

# Remove berry stains from hands: Rinse hands with lemon juice.

# Brighten whites: Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load. To remove rust and mineral discolorations on cotton T-shirts and briefs, add 1 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle.

# Remove ink spots from clothing: Apply lemon juice liberally to the spot while the ink is wet. Then wash the garment in a normal laundry cycle with regular detergent in cold water.

# Fade tea stains on cloth: Mix equal amounts of lemon juice and water. Use a Q-Tip or eyedropper to target the juice mixture onto the stain. Thoroughly rinse with cool water.

# Stop bleeding and disinfect minor wounds: Pour lemon juice on a cut or apply with a cotton ball.

# Clear up facial blemishes: Dab lemon juice on the blemish a few times a day.

# Eliminate blackheads: Before going to bed, rub lemon juice over blackheads. Wait until morning to wash off juice with cool water. Repeat for several nights until improvement is noticed.

# Relieve a sore throat: Skewer 1/2 of a lemon; roast over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high until the peel turns golden brown. Cool slightly; mix juice with 1 teaspoon honey. Swallow the juice mixture.

# Relieve a cough: Combine 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 cup honey and 1/2 cup olive oil. Heat five minutes, then stir vigorously for 2 minutes. Take 1 teaspoon every two hours.

# Relieve rough hands or sore feet: Apply lemon juice, then massage with olive oil.

# Relieve constipation: Before breakfast, drink four tablespoons lemon juice in one cup warm water. Sweeten with honey.

# Relieve poison ivy: Apply lemon juice over affected areas to soothe itching and alleviate the rash.

# Whiten, brighten, strengthen fingernails: Soak fingernails in lemon juice for 10 minutes, and then brush with equal parts of warm water and white vinegar. Rinse well.

# Get rid of dandruff: Apply 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to your hair. Shampoo, then rinse again with a mixture of 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 cups water. Repeat every other day until dandruff disappears.

# Shine piano keys: Apply half a lemon to keys; rinse with a clean, wet cloth; buff.

# Eliminate humidifier odors: Pour 3 or 4 teaspoons of lemon juice into the water.

# Deodorize the vacuum bag: Add baking soda and lemon peel to the bag.

Sandy Thorn Clark

JUICY TIDBITS

Lemon aficionados agree that lemons with the smoothest skin and smallest points on each end offer more juice and better flavor. The experts recommend:

# Lemons at room temperature yield more juice. Microwave cold lemons for a few seconds before squeezing.

# Press down firmly and roll lemons on a counter to break up the pulp before juicing.

# If only a few drops of lemon juice are needed, prick one end with a fork and squeeze the desired amount. Cover the holes with a bandage and return the lemon to the refrigerator to preserve the flavor.

# Freeze lemon rinds and grate them when a recipe calls for zest, or seal leftover zest in a plastic bag and freeze.

# Freeze leftover juice in ice cube trays; once frozen, remove the cubes and seal them in a plastic bag in the freezer.

Lemon juice has varied uses in the kitchen:

# Tenderize meat by marinating it in lemon juice.

# Squirt a few drops of lemon juice on a poached egg to help it set.

# Instead of salt, squeeze lemon juice into boiling water when cooking pasta.

# Keep mushrooms white and firm while sauteing by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to each 1/4 pound of melted butter.

# Squeeze lemon juice on vegetables while steaming, to keep the colors bright.

# Flavor tea by using sugar cubes that have been dipped in lemon juice.

# To eliminate browning that occurs from foods sitting out too long, squeeze lemon juice on apple, pear, avocado or potato slices. Squeeze it into guacamole and stir.

# Add lemon juice to rice while cooking to make it fluffier.
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In vino veritas!