Lemon Dilemma

As bad a year as it was for the economy, that’s how good a year it was for lemons at my house. Imagine 600 lemons coming ripe at the same time and then one day, a major lemon tree catastrophe. The top of our big lemon tree snapped in half.

We had to remove 2/3 of the top and in the process, we found ourselves with maybe 300 extra-large lemons on our driveway. What do you do with a large load of lemons?

I gave some to the neighbors, friends and family. I travel around with bags of lemons looking for lemon lovers. Gave some to the mailman, the garbage man and the FedEx lady. Basically, I would say, “like lemons?” to anyone I came in contact with.

But alas, all my attempts to lighten my lemon load were not enough.

So I started making and baking with the lemons- Lemon Key pie (a new take on Key Lime), Limoncello, lemonade, lemon chicken, Avogolemono Soup, shrimp ala lemon, on and on and on. I saw the post office is offering no weigh boxes, shoved some in and shipped a couple of loads off to the north woods.

Finally, we found a new outlet– a fruit stand near us was ever so happy to trade lemons for produce. Soon he might have to be taking cabbages and collards for trade– I have planted a bumper crop.

Lemonade Diet

There is a thing called the Lemonade Diet. I found it while Googling for lemonade recipes. And no, I have not tried it, but post holidazing, thinking maybe I should. But at 10 servings a day, one might turn into a Lemon Head.

Mr. Lemonhead (cousin of Mr. Potatohead)

For at least 10 days, drink around 10 servings per day of the following:

• 2 Tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) fresh-squeezed lemon or lime  NOT BOTTLED JUICE! (approx. 1/2 lemon),
• 2 Tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) organic Grade B maple syrup,
• 1/10 Teaspoon or more cayenne pepper (hot red pepper), and
• 1 Cup (8 fluid ounces) purified or spring water, NOT fluorinated water.

This is the equivalent of taking an empty gallon water jug and filling it with:

• the juice of 5 lemons
• 1 1/4 cup of organic Grade B maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 10 cups of water

Shake it all up and you got your day’s serving!