All I knew of lemons in my 1960s Highlands of Scotland childhood was the little plastic squeezy Jif lemon, which somehow never, ever ran out. I suppose its usage rate was on a par with the little medicinal bottles of olive and almond oil (for earache ONLY) which resided stickily in the bathroom medicine cabinet along with the Andrew Liver Salts, Milk of Magnesia and Disprin.
We visited the Queen Mother’s Castle of Mey (beautiful) in far north and were amused to read her telegram to the Queen to be sure to bring lemons with her on the Britannia- indispensable for her Dubonnet gin cocktail. And obviously not available locally.
Those gin dubonnets were powerful stuff! I remember watching a programme where a former Royal butler described how to make them - pretty hefty on the alcohol content. Yes, Caithness in those days would not have been where you would look for lemons.
Lemons! Have you heard of the Fesole Club Papers? A children’s curriculum written by Collingwood, a student of Ruskin? The first lesson is on drawing a lemon! A woman tried to revive it virtually on Instagram a few years back and quickly got inundated. Try #fesoleclubthelemon to see some of the results, if interested.
Ha! Yes we also punctuate our holidays with baked goods contests. Netherlands = apple tart. Dolomites = apple strudel. France = croissant beurre. Black Forest = plum or rhubarb tart, depending on the season. Etc etc. There are many worse criteria one could choose.
I adored this. That Manet painting is so lovely!!! For dinner we recently made a roasted chicken with lots and lots of lemon and my goodness was it delicious. I always find, actually, that if something is not tasting as good as it should, a squeeze of lemon juice will put it right.
May fair. Stand a lemon on end chop a third off stick a peppermint stick in a suck away.
Once bought a bunch of lemons, put them in a bowl and let them release their essence. It was wonderful to walk into the house with a little scent of lemon in the air.
In traditional Australian backyards it is mandatory to have a Eureka lemon, which fruits all year round, but isn't fond of frost.
I currently live in Olinda, which at 600 metres above sea level is higher than any town or village in England (we get snow occasionally) - so my garden has a Meyer lemon, which is frost tolerant but doesn't really have fruit all year round.
All I knew of lemons in my 1960s Highlands of Scotland childhood was the little plastic squeezy Jif lemon, which somehow never, ever ran out. I suppose its usage rate was on a par with the little medicinal bottles of olive and almond oil (for earache ONLY) which resided stickily in the bathroom medicine cabinet along with the Andrew Liver Salts, Milk of Magnesia and Disprin.
We visited the Queen Mother’s Castle of Mey (beautiful) in far north and were amused to read her telegram to the Queen to be sure to bring lemons with her on the Britannia- indispensable for her Dubonnet gin cocktail. And obviously not available locally.
Those gin dubonnets were powerful stuff! I remember watching a programme where a former Royal butler described how to make them - pretty hefty on the alcohol content. Yes, Caithness in those days would not have been where you would look for lemons.
We had Jif lemons too, and I remember how the juice used to go off very quickly. Fun to squirt at siblings, though
Lemons! Have you heard of the Fesole Club Papers? A children’s curriculum written by Collingwood, a student of Ruskin? The first lesson is on drawing a lemon! A woman tried to revive it virtually on Instagram a few years back and quickly got inundated. Try #fesoleclubthelemon to see some of the results, if interested.
no I hadn't, but will look it up. Thanks
When we bought our house in Spain, the two lemon trees were the clinchers of the deal. They are a joy, and generous for most of the year.
There are also two VERY productive fig trees, beautiful but SO much fruit !!!
Thank you as ever Jane for brightening my Sunday.
Xx
Wonderful! I have a fantasy of being able to reach out of a kitchen window and pick a lemon from a tree. One day, maybe.
Thank you. Fresh, alive, sharp - perfect.
Every dish tastes so much better with lemon juice or my fav., lemon zest! Thank you Jane. 🌻
Ha! Yes we also punctuate our holidays with baked goods contests. Netherlands = apple tart. Dolomites = apple strudel. France = croissant beurre. Black Forest = plum or rhubarb tart, depending on the season. Etc etc. There are many worse criteria one could choose.
Great choices! We have an ongoing pain au chocolat/croissant search, and I can recommend the apple tart with cream in Dudok in Rotterdam.
A friend of mine only does one dinner party pudding, lemon tart. But it’s so delicious, why have any more in your repertoire?!
And didn’t someone, possibly ED, describe being remote as more than 6 miles from a lemon?
I want to know where one aquires "jaded apetites" so that I might acquire one for weight loss. LOL. (See Escoffier's note in picture.)
I adored this. That Manet painting is so lovely!!! For dinner we recently made a roasted chicken with lots and lots of lemon and my goodness was it delicious. I always find, actually, that if something is not tasting as good as it should, a squeeze of lemon juice will put it right.
May fair. Stand a lemon on end chop a third off stick a peppermint stick in a suck away.
Once bought a bunch of lemons, put them in a bowl and let them release their essence. It was wonderful to walk into the house with a little scent of lemon in the air.
In traditional Australian backyards it is mandatory to have a Eureka lemon, which fruits all year round, but isn't fond of frost.
I currently live in Olinda, which at 600 metres above sea level is higher than any town or village in England (we get snow occasionally) - so my garden has a Meyer lemon, which is frost tolerant but doesn't really have fruit all year round.
Yes! My sister has one in her garden in a Sydney suburb, think it’s the all year round one too.