THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 114, 29 August 1941, Page 52

THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON

a P AKE up your mind’ to have one or two lemons in your pantry always-not just sometimes-when you are going to make.a special hot lemon drink sweetened with honey, for someone with a cold; or when ‘you are having fried fish and need sections of unpeeled lemon to serve as a garnish to each serving; or when you are going to make .a Lemon Meringue Pie. Lemons should be regarded not as "specials," but as everyday necessities, like salt or tea or soap! Lemon-juice helps to purify the bloodstream, clear the skin of blemishes, and

tone up the whole system. It acts beneficially upon the liver and kidneys. It is safe to say that nearly everybody would benefit enormously by taking the juice of a lemon in a breakfast cup of hot water the first thing every morning. Begin with half a lemon if a whole one is too much. If you must have a little sweetening, use honey. Lemons are particularly rich in Vitamin C, the "anti-scorbutic" vitamin, which cannot be stored in the body, so some food containing it must be taken every day, and lemons provide it in perfection. Some Uses For Lemons For the Hair.-Add the juice of a lemon to the last water when shampooing the hair, The acid removes all soap and makes the hair soft and fluffy. For the Skin.-After washing the face with soap and water, rinse first with clear water, then with water to which a little lemon juice has been added. For the Hands.-Mix well together the juice of two lemons, and sixpennyworth of glycerine. Bottle this and rub into the hands after washing up. Or keep half a lemon on the sink bench, and rub your hands very frequently with it, to remove all stains, and to keep them soft and white. It also destroys any onion-y or fishy odours after cooking. Tough Poultry-If doubtful about the age of a fowl, rub it well with a cut lemon before cooking. Fragrant Rooms.-Stick a large number of cloves into a lemon, and put it into an unseen corner of your sitting room; you will love the plessant and refreshing fragrance. Lemon Squash For this you will need one quart of lemon juice, and 3lb. of sugar. Stand the jug containing these in a pan of hot water until the sugar is dissolved, but do not allow it to boil. Bottle, It should keep for months-a little water or soda water added to a small quantity makes a delicious drink. You may also make a hot lemon drink by adding hot water. ‘Lemon Marmalade For each lemon allow one pint of boiling water, and %4lb. sugar. Slice the lemons and remove the pips, as you would in making orange marmalade. Pour the boiling water over the sliced fruit, and leave all night. Next morning, boil until the slices of lemon are tender-about one hour. Then add the ‘sugar, and boil quickly until it jellies‘probably another hour. To Preserve Lemon Juice Fill small bottles with lemon juice, and put the lids on lightly. Sterilise at ‘simmering point for thirty minutes. Then screw the lids on tightly, and make sure ‘that they are airtight. If you are using corks, it is a good idea to dip the whole top of the bottle in hot wax. You may add sugar if you like, in the proportion of one cup of sugar to one gallon of juice,

haf aes -_ Apricot and Lemon Jam This is a favourite recipe. Take 1Ib. of dried apricots, 1lb. of lemons, 5lb. of sugar and 5 pints of boiling water. Pour the boiling water over the apricots and let them stand all night. Next day, boil the lemons whole until tender. Drain them well, let them get cold, and then slice very thinly, removing the pips. Now boil up the apricots together with the water in which they have been soaking; when they are soft and pulpy, add the cut up lemons, and the warmed sugar; bring to the boil and then boil steadily until the jam will set when tested on a plate-probably about an hour. Lemon Jelly Wash and dry 12 lemons and 4 sweet ofanges. Cut all the fruit up roughly, being careful not to lose any of the juice. Remove the pips and save them. Cover the fruit with 10 pints of cold water, and leave it to stand for 24 hours. Then boil steadily for two hours; strain through muslin. Boil this juice for 10 minutes or so, and then add sugar, allowing cup for cup. Have the pips soaked in a very little water, which should have been taken from the 10 pints, and add this strained water to the juice. Boil until the jelly will set when tested on a cold plate. Bottle and cover while hot. Apple Marmalade Six pounds of apples, not quite ripe; six lemons; 9141b. of sugar; six pints of water. Slice the lemons finely, and soak them overnight in the water. Peel, core and cut the apples up, and weigh them after cutting up. Add to lemons the next day, and cook for an hour. Add the sugar and boil steadily for about two hours or until it will set when tested. Lemon Cheese (With Crushed Biscuits) Four ounces of butter; 80z. white sugar; juice and rind of three lemons; four eggs; and four wine or similar biscuits. Melt the butter and the sugar. Add the crushed biscuits, the grated lemon rind and the juice. Slightly cool, and add-the well-eaten eggs. Cook the mixture until it thickens, stirring all the time. Do not let it boil, or it will spoil -a double saucepan is best. Lemon Cheese For Tartlets One cup of sugar; two tablespoons of butter; the rind and juice of four lemons: two eggs. Boil until thick in a double boiler, Magic Lemon Cream Pie The grated rind of one lemon; halfcup lemon juice; one and a-third cups sweetened condensed milk; two eggs; two tablespoons granulated sugar; and a baked pie shell. Mix the milk, lemon juice, lemon rind and egg yolks. Pour into the baked pie shell. Cover with meringue made with the two eggs whites beaten stiff, with sugar added, and a pinch of salt. Bake until brown in a moderate oven. Chill before serving. As a variation, you can add 114 cups of raisins, which have been softened in boiling water and strained. Add it to the filling, cover war meringue, and cook as before. (Continued on next page)

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Lemon Sago Snow Boil half-teacup sago; one Cup sugar; the grated rind of two or three lemons, in four cups of water. When cooked, add the juice. of the lemons. When nearly cold, add the beaten whites of two ot three eggs. Serve cold with cream or custard. Three Layer Lemon Sponge Cake Half a cup of butter; 144 cups sugar; 3 eggs; 2% cups flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder (level); pinch salt; half a t arco a |

’ cup of water; % cup lemon juice. Cream the butter and sugar, add the wellbeaten yolks of the eggs. Sift the drv ingredients together and add them alternately with the water and the lemon juice. Lastly, fold lightly in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in three sandwich tins, Moderate oven, about twenty finutes approximately. When cool, put together with the following filling: Lemon Cream Filling This is cooked in a double a ot in a basin standing in a saucepan of water, and takes about 15 minutes -to cook, stirring frequently. One beaten egg; one Cup sugat; four level takespoons cornflour; one cup watef; half-cup lemon juice; half-teaspoon grated lemon rind. Mix these well together, and cook as above. Then add one tablespoon butter. (Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) and take off the fire, stirring again. When the filling is cool, join the cakes together with it. Lemon Icing Two cups of icing sugar; % cup melted butter; three tablespoons of water; two tablespoons of lemon juice; and a sprinkling of grated lemon rind. Mix all together until creamy, and spread immediately over the cake. _ French Lemon Jam Four large carrots, or eight small ones: half a dozen lemons; 514Ib. of sugar; and four pints of water. Mince the carrots, and cut the lemon rind very finely. Soak overnight in the water. Next day, boil for one hour, then add the sugar and lemon juice, and boil until it will set. A lovely jam.