What to do with an abundance of lemons

At this time of year, the branches of citrus trees in the garden are being weighed down with an abundance of juicy yellow lemons.
The versatile fruit can bring a little oomph to your cooking, a taste of crispness in your drink, and the smell of freshness around the home. They are so often the key ingredient you just don’t want to do without. And when the trees have an abundance of fruit, we don’t want to waste their freshness.

Here are 5 ideas on how you can use them this season.

1. Share with your neighborhood
Place a basket at your front fence filled with lemons and a simple sign, “free lemons” and share with your neighbours. Perhaps spread the love a little further with a message on your local buy swap sell group on Facebook.

2. Frozen lemon and lime cubes
When there is excess fruit and you’ve shared with your neighbors, juice your lemons and limes and pour the juice into ice cube trays. Freeze and save in snap lock bags to use throughout the year when cooking or add the cube to your glass of water.

3. Lemon bath salt
Finely dice lemon peel and add into a bowl of sea salt and Epsom salt. Mix it up and transfer the salt into a small jar.
Keep it next to your bath ready to use or wrap it up in cloth as a thoughtful gift for a loved one.
The full recipe using Yuzu can be found in Simplicity at Home.

4. Lemon butter
I love lemon butter not just for its great taste but also for its versatile use. Lemon butter can be great to use straight on toast, in tarts, with some ice cream, or as a beautiful gift. I like to use a recipe from Sophie Hansen’s book or check out this one from her blog.

5. Hot lemon and honey drink
Juice a lemon and add it into a mug of hot water and a spoon full of honey. I love drinking this in wintertime when I have a sore throat or want to warm myself up.