Walk down a street in Cyprus in the winter, any street, I’m certain you’re going to see citrus.
Sweet juicy oranges and clementines, grapefruit, pomelo and of course lemons.
I’m not sure which came first, Cypriots using lemon for every meal of the day or lemons trees growing in gardens, and on road sides. What I am sure about is, there are more than enough to go round.
Today has been unseasonably bright and warm, so I’ve been out and about ‘harvesting’ a huge bag full, probably enough for several months. I’m feeling quite pleased with myself about the whole adventure and it’s made me look into lemons, Cyprus and their history together. So join me down this sunshine yellow rabbit hole.
A Brief Introduction to Lemons in Cyprus
Lemons in Cyprus are in season from October till early June but you will notice that even off season the supermarkets are well stocked with local fruit. Green lemons are just as good for juicing as the fully ripened yellow ones, although I find them slightly more sour.
There are two main varieties that grow here in Cyprus, Navel which has a thick bumpy skin and tart taste Valencia Late which has a thin soft skin and a slightly sweeter flavour.
Both varieties grow in orchards, gardens and in the wild all over the country. Locals tend not to pick or consume fruit that is growing along the roadside, as it may have been exposed to pollutants. I’ve found them to be fine so far.
Although all lemons are thought to have come to Cyprus from Southeast Asia, they have been in the middle eastern and Mediterranean region for around 2000 years. What we do know is Arab traders taking local produce to Asia returned with them by sea and they quickly became an important part of ancient Greek and Cypriot life.
What’s so Great about Lemons?
One medium lemon (about 58 grams) contains approximately 30-40 mg of vitamin C. Gram for gram, that means they have more than oranges! And, by just having one every day I’m halfway to my recommended daily intake.
The vitamin C also gives your immune system a boost and supports collagen production, which can help to improve the appearance of your skin.
Although lemons are acidic, they have an alkalizing affect when consumed so (as long as you don’t go overboard and eat a dozen at once) if you drink them in some water they can help with acid reflux.
Culinary Delights and Refreshing Beverages
Consuming lemons is an everyday occurrence for us since we moved to Cyprus. In the winter, a hot lemon, sometimes with a small spoon of honey is my go to early morning drink. If I’m feeling unwell, I’ll even grate some ginger in.
Due to cold mornings being in the minority, a cold lemon drink is more common. This has evolved, or rather devolved in the last four years.
It began as a whole tablespoon of granulated sugar, dissolved in a little hot water, a generous handful of mint leaves, the juice of half a lemon, 3 ice cubes and as much sparkling water as there was space left in the glass.
These days, a quarter of a lemon is hurriedly squeezed into an already chilled glass of sparkling water. That’s it, done. There’s no finesse at all, but it’s certainly still refreshing.
There’s always a fridge full of lemons in this house for food as well. We both use them as a dressing on salads, M squeezes it liberally on meat, mainly pork chops, and I love it on grilled fish.
If we find ourselves with too many, we cut them into wedges or slice them and add them into ice cube trays. You can keep lemon slices in the freezer for several months, although the quality may degrade over time.
I love to bake and have a number of recipes in my repertoire that feature lemons. Such as;
- Lemon drizzle cake
- Tarte au citron
- Blueberry and lemon cheesecake
- Lemon meringue pie
This brings me nicely onto my job for the day…
Let’s Make Lemon Curd
The first time I ever tried lemon curd was in Norfolk, but it was actually made with lemons from Cyprus. My grandparents had returned from the family holiday home with a couple of jars made by a local lady and after the first spoonful I was hooked.
Over the years I’ve made lemon curd many times and in a number of different ways, but the following recipe is my absolute favourite. It’s got a beautiful rich flavour from the almond milk and because there are no eggs, it’s much harder to get wrong. Best of all, this recipe is vegan so it’s a great crowd pleaser during periods of fasting that are observed here in Cyprus.
I only make 1 jar at a time (approximately 12 servings), because otherwise I’d eat the stuff non stop. The recipe scales up well, so long as you have a big enough pan.
Ingredients:
- 250ml (1 cup) almond milk
- 200g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 40g (1/4 cup) cornstarch
- 60ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice
- 15ml (1 tablespoon) lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the almond milk, sugar, and cornstarch. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the lemon curd into a clean jar or container and cover with a lid. Place the jar in the refrigerator until the lemon curd is chilled and set, about 2-3 hours.
The lemon curd can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It’s really that simple. Enjoy!
Here are the macros for this recipe, divide it by how many portions you have. Please take these as approximations as different brands of almond milk will have different values.
- Calories: 1004
- Total fat: 2.87g
- Saturated fat: 0.25g
- Total carbohydrate: 50.75g
- Sugar 208.29g
- Protein: 1.58g
- Fiber: 3.2g
So Many Lemons You Don’t Know What to Do…?
With the average mature lemon tree producing upwards of 800 fruit in a single season, your supply could get out of hand very quickly even with just a single tree. I’ve had a few ideas but feel free to comment below if you have more.
Edible
- Freeze the lemon juice in an ice cube tray to use in place of fresh lemon juice in recipes.
- Simmer the peels in sugar syrup until they’re candied and then sprinkle over sugar or dip them in dark chocolate.
- Infuse vinegar or oil.
- Add the lemon peels to a jar of sugar to make lemon sugar. This is great for baking or as a topping for oatmeal or yogurt.
- Dry the peels and then grind them in a spice grinder or blender and use the resulting powder as a natural food coloring or to add flavor to baked goods.
Non-Edible
- If you’re not a fan of eating lemons, there are plenty of uses for them around the home as well. Such as;
- Dry the peels and use them to make homemade cleaning products and air fresheners.
- Chop the leftovers up and add them to your compost bin.
- Make a lemon peel face mask by mixing grated peel with honey. Leave it on your face for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
- Add lemons to your bathwater for a refreshing and uplifting soak.
- Make a natural insect repellent by mixing peels with water and a few drops of essential oils in a spray bottle.
With that in mind, I’m off to lie in a bath full of lemons, with some tasty homemade lemonade. see you soon!
More Lemon Related Things
Look at, Cook, squeeze, you can do what you like with these useful links.
Love and Lemons Every Day: More than 100 Bright, Plant-Forward Recipes for Every Meal: A Cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio
IMUSA Lime or Lemon Manual Squeezer, Citrus Juicer for Max Extraction, Yellow
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh