THE PRECIOUS LEMON

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 70, 25 October 1940, Page 44

THE PRECIOUS LEMON

O's page on oranges a week or two ago met with so much interest and approval, that I am following it with one on lemons. Most housewives look on lemons more as a@ necessity than as a luxury, and there are few pantries without at least one or two upon a shelf, to say nothing of the squeezed half-lemon on a saucer beside the sink-kept there for rubbing over the hands after the endless "washingups," thus keeping them soft and white, as well as removing the smell of onions or fish. Lemons must surely be the most useful of all fruits»A grating of lemon-peel, or a squeeze of lemon-juice gives a delicious flavouring to almost any pudding, cake, or biscuit; while a lemon baked slowly in the oven, then cut open, drenched with honey and eaten hot, is an excellent "night-cap" for a cold. For a Weak Chest Put 6 fresh eggs, shells and all, into a bowl, and completely cover them with lemon-juice. It will take at least a dozen lemons. Allow these to stand until the shells are dissolved, which will be about 10 days, or perhaps less. Break the skins and slip out the eggs, stirring them in thoroughly. Then strain all through muslin, so that any solids or pieces of shell are taken out. Now add a cupful of the best Jamaica rum, one pound of melted honey, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix very well together, bottle, and cork tightly. The dose is about a tablespoonful three times a day, but it is best to begin with a smaller quantity and work up. Some people prefer to add half a pint of fresh cream with the honey, instead of the olive oil. This is an old and wellrecommended recipe; but do not make up too much just at first, as it does not keep vety long. Lemon Skins These should be dried in the oven, then grated finely into glass jars and used

for flavouring when fresh lemons are not available. Another use for them is to tie several in a piece of muslin and put them into the copper or tubs on washing day to whiten the clothes, Anti-Rheumatism Drink Put a tablespoonful of raisins to soak overnight in the juice of a lemon. Cover the glass with a clean piece of paper. First thing next morning, fill up the glass with hot water and sip the mixture. When the liquid is finished, chew the raisins slowly. This is not only good for rheumatism, but is also splendid for the skin and health generally. If taken for theumatism, add a little Glauber Salts when putting the hot water in. Using with Meat Rub steak with a cut lemon and brush over with olive oil about ten minutes before using, to make it extra. flavoursome and tender. Substitute for Vinegar Lemon juice may be used instead of vinegar in almost any recipe which specifies the latter-except in pickling. For lron-Mould, etc. Soak the stain all night in a saucerfull of lemon-juice and pulp, with a little salt added. Then place the stained part tightly across a saucepan of boiling water, gently applying more lemon and salt. The steam generally "does the trick." Wash in lukewarm suds; and repeat if necessary. This treatment is not only for iron-mould, but also, for rust, fruit-stains and sometimes ink. Lemon Butter Cream together 3 tablespoons of butter, 14 teaspoon of salt, a few grains of paprika, a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley, and 214 tablespoons of lemon juice. Serve on hot fish, or grilled steak. Lemon White Sauce Blend together 2 tablespoons of melted butter; 2 tablespoons of flour; 14 tea-

spoon of salt, and a cup of vegetable water or milk. Cook until smooth and creamy, stirring constantly. Then stir in one or two tablespoons of lemon juice.Serve with hot vegetables. Lemon Egg Nog Beat one egg-yolk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and one tablespoon of sugar. Pour into a tall glass. Beat the egg-white very stiff with one tablespoon of sugar, and fold three-quarters of this into the egg-yolk mixture. Now add milk to almost fill the glass. Stir well with a spoon. Put the remainder of the beaten-egg-white on top of all, grate a little lemon-rind over it, and serve at once. Lemon with Tea Grated lemon-rind put into the teapot with the tea, before boiling water is poured on, makes a delicate and unusual flavour-like some rare, éxpensive blend. About half a teaspoonful of rind to 4 teaspoons of tea, or according to taste. Begin with a little. Lemons with Dried Fruit Add a little lemon juice, or a piece of lemon-rind, when stewing prunes or dried apricots, peaches and so on. Remove the tind before serving. Lemon rind also improves stewed rhubarb very much. Cleaning Copper Save lemons which have been cut in half and squeezed for juice; dip these halves into salt, and clean tarnished copper or brass with them. Wash afterwards with warm suds and polish with soft cloth. Mock Lemon Curd This is a nice change from jam. It comes from a lady in Buckinghamshire. One lemon, 1 teacup of water; 1 teacup of granulated sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon of cornflour, and a small piece of butter. Grate the lemon peel into a saucepan with the water, sugar and butter. Boil gently for a few minutes, thicken. with the cornflour mixed with the lemon juice. Remove from the fire a few minutes, and mix in the well-beaten egg. Do not boil ‘it up again, or the egg will curdle.

Lemon Cheese Here is a recipe from Fifeshire, but it was given to me in London. The lady said she found it such a useful means of using up cracked eggs. Peel 2 lemons as thinly as possible, and squeeze out the juice. Put both the rind and the juice in a saucepan with 80z. of sugar and 5oz. of butter, and dissolve very slowly. Now beat up two eggs, then stir the lemon mixture on to them. Strain, return to the pan, and stir over a low heat until the mixture comes to the boil and is thick and creamy. The cheese may be made. most satisfactorily in a double saucepan. The steaming ensures the slow melting of the sugar and butter, which is so essential. Lemon Pie This is the Derbyshire way of making a lemon pie. Line a deep plate with your favourite pastry. Make a custard by taking 34 pint of milk and 114 tablespoonfuls of cornflour, mixed to a paste with a little of the milk. Grate the rind and juice of 2 lemons into the custard when cooled down a little, and add sugar to taste. Then stir in the yolks of two eggs, place the mixture on pastry, and bake in a nice oven. When ready, whip up the whites very stiffly. fold in 2 tablespoons of castor sugar, and brown in a cool oven, Lemon Meringue Pie Here is the very popular American Lemon Pie-almost a national dish, I think. One cup of sugar, 4 level tablespoons of cornflour, % teaspoon of salt; 14% cups of water or milk, and 2 egg yolks, beaten slightly. Sift the dry ingredients, add the water or milk and the egg. Stir till all is dissolved. Cook in a double boiler, stirring frequently, until thick, which should take about 15 minutes. Then add a third cup of lemon juice and the grated rind of a lemon. Beat well, cool, and turn into a baked pie shell. Cover with the following meringue, and brown it slightly. Beat 2 egg whites till frothy, add 4 cup of sugar; % teaspoon of baking powder; and a teaspoon of grated lemon (Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) rind. Continue beating until very stiff. Spread this over the pie, and put in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes to brown. Lemon Meringue Pudding This one was given me in Wellington by a very good housekeeper, who says:"This is a very well tested recipe, and a great favourite. You need not say who sent it, but we have used it for years. It has one little peculiarity--sometimes it stays quite firm, but sometimes quite a lot of sweet: fluid separates. But this does not matter." Four eggs, 21/2 tablespoons maizena, or cornflour; 142 pints of water; 1 oz. butter and 4 lemons, with a little sugar to taste. Put one pint of the water, the butter, lemon juice and sugar into a fdirly large saucepan, and bring to the boil. In the meantime, mix the cornflour in the remaining half pint of water, and lightly beat in the yolks of the eggs. Add this to the boiling water etc., and stir till thick and clear. Then put in a deep pie dish. Beat the egg whites very stiff, add one tablespoon of icing sugar to each egg; spread it over the mixture and bake in a co6él oven till a light brown. Serve cold. Lemon Pudding A real New Zealand recipe, using up some breadcrumbs. One breakfast cup of fresh bread crumbs; 2 breakfast cups of boiling water; 1 breakfast cup of sugar; 2 egg yolks, and the juice of 2 lemons, and the rind of one. Peat the yolks and sugar together. Pour over the breadcrumbs and water, add the lemon juice and the grated rind of the lemon. Bake in a moderate oven till set. Make a meringue with the whites, and 2 tablespoons of castor sugar, with a flavouring of lemon juice or lemon essence. Put in spoonfuls on the pudding and bake a pale brown. Another Lemon Pudding The sender of this recipe says: "This is a strange mixture. It just looks like curds and whey when it is ready to go into the oven; but when cooked, there is a sponge crust at the top and the bottom part is just like lemon honey. It is really delicious." Beat together 12 cup of sugar and one tablespoon of butter, and add these ingredients in their order-2 tablespoons of flour, pinch of salt, the rind and juice of a lemon, one cup of milk, the yolks of two eggs; and lastly, stir in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Bake in a buttered pie dish. Stand the dish in «nother dish of hot water, and cook for about half an hour. $ Lemon Cordial ; A very well recommended drink, this one. Two or three lemons with good rinds; 2lb. of sugar; loz. citric acid; and 142 pints water. Boil the water and the sugar. Peel the lemons finely, and put the peel into a large basin. Add the lemon juice and pulp and the citric acid. Pour over the syrup, and leave all night. Then lift off the floating peel, and bottle. Two tablespoons in a tumbler of water makes a lovely drink.