Lemon Zest More Than 175 Recipes With a Twist

all about lemons The versatile lemon plays an integral role in the culinary process--the skin, seeds, juice, and flesh all contribute in their own right and collectively to the chemistry of food. The lemon activates change--it is the revolutionary of the food world. --Christine Manfield, Paramount Cooking Buying Lemons Whether you are buying your lemons at a farm stand or a supermarket, you don't have to worry about ripeness. Every lemon in the market is fully ripe and ready to use, so you can pick and choose according to what you'll be using them for. If you're looking for juice, choose firm but not rock-hard lemons that are heavy for their size. Very hard ones invariably yield little juice. Slightly softer, medium-sized, and thin-skinned lemons are juicier. Heaviness indicates that lemons are fresh and full of juice; heft them and compare to find the weightiest fruit. If you're looking for zest, thicker-skinned lemons usually have more abundant, flavorful zest and are easier to grate. Lemons should be as bright as the sunshine, with a glossy sheen, a firmness to the touch, finely textured skin, and a pleasant citrus fragrance. The condition of the skin is important. A very coarse exterior may indicate an excessively thick skin, which in turn may mean less flesh and juice. Lemons should be vibrant, bright, and uniform in color, with unbroken skin, free of moist or brittle spots or shriveling. The fruit beneath the skin should feel firm, with no evidence of softness. A small, very green stem is a sign of freshness. Lemons from warmer climates may have slightly green skin--it does not mean they are not ripe. But fruits that have a slightly greenish cast are likely to be more acidic than those that are a deep yellow. Deep yellow lemons are usually more mature than lighter yellow ones, and not quite as acidic. Avoid lemons that are hard and rigid; they may have been frost-damaged. Also avoid lemons that are soft, spongy, wrinkled, or have bumpy, rough, or hard skin. A dark yellow or dull color or hardened or shriveled skin indicates old age. Soft spots, mold, or broken skin indicate decay, but brownish spots or patches may have been caused when branches rubbed against the immature fruit and are not a sign of damage. Dampness is a great enemy to lemons. It's best not to buy lemons that have been displayed on ice or sprinkled with water in the store. Damp lemons will deteriorate quickly if they touch one another; mold, which spreads rapidly, will form and the lemons will soften and rot. That's why lemons used to be packed in boxes lined with sawdust--to absorb the moisture. (I remember when each lemon was wrapped in a twist of tissue paper to keep the damp away from the fruit.) And lemons are never picked in the morning, for the same reason; if the fruit is damp with the morning dew, it will deteriorate quickly. You'll also want to stay away from lemons that have been stored near fruits with strong odors or ethylene-gas-producing fruits, such as apples. Pitting of the skin, that tinge of red interior dis-coloration, and loss of juice are all indications of a chill injury, when the fruit is damaged by cold temperature. If you are going to use the peel, don't buy lemons that have been colored. Almost all of our lemons come from California and Arizona, neither of which allows lemon growers to color their fruit. If possible, check the box the fruit came in to see if the telltale words "color added" are there. You can't always tell a dyed lemon by looking at the skin, but sometimes you can: often a red dye that doesn't completely cover the greenish skin is used. As always, it pays to buy from a greengrocer you trust, one who knows if the fruit has been colored and will tell you so. The primary varieties of commercially available lemons are the Lisbon and Eureka from California, Arizona, Chile, and Spain. Those grown in the U.S. are givenLongbotham, Lori is the author of 'Lemon Zest More Than 175 Recipes With a Twist', published 2002 under ISBN 9780767906173 and ISBN 0767906179.