Lemon Love

When life gives you lemons… make stuff!

My neighbor has a lemon tree infested with fruit that the rarely use. He invited me over to pick as many as I wanted and Oh Boy! I picked 2 bags worth and didn’t make a dent! I think I will have to go over get more soon. But until then I have some projects…

So I cleaned all these beauties and...

1. Made Zest.
I zested 9 lemons onto a cookie sheet to freeze and store in my freezer for cooking with. Once the zest is frozen, I added it to a small container. I like to always have room for a cookie sheet in my freezer to freeze things separately, that way they don’t freeze sticking together in the bag they are stored in.

2. Juiced.
When I juice lemons I put the juice right in ice cube trays to freeze. When they are frozen I pop them into a ziplock bag for later. I cook with the juice and use it for cocktails & tea when I’m sick. I also can offer guests lemon aid (which I don’t drink) by adding the cubes to some water with sugar. Ta Da.

In the end of this little project I had 9 ice cube trays of frozen lemon juice; which translates to 2 large ziplock bags full in my freezer. 

3. Extract Lemon Oil
I followed the tutorial at Condo Blues. I let the peels dry out on a cookie sheet.
Later I will put them in a bottle with vodka, let the alcohol evaporate and … oil! (I hope). I have bought some cheep vodka

4. Citrus Enzyme cleaner
I used the tutorial on Hommade Mamas which can be used for almost everything and is made with the peels of lemons and oranges, water and brown sugar.

Looking down the opening at the peels

Wow! I have to make another post to discuss how my lemon oil and enzyme cleaner turned out. I am really excited that I am able to use almost all of the fruit. Times like these I wish my lemon tree didn’t die.