Available year-round, lemons are at their peak in May – just in time for homemade lemonade. A citrus fruit, lemons are a good source of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that helps to keep the immune system strong.

Lemons come in both sour (Eureka and Lisbon) and relatively sweet (Meyer) varieties. Look for a lemon that is heavy for its size, which indicates less skin and more flesh. The peel should have a finely grained texture and be fully yellow. You can use both the flesh and the peel (as a zest if the lemon is organic) in all types of dishes, so enjoy – we like them in the Lemon Olive Oil Cake recipe.

And don’t limit the lemons to cooking – lemons make an effective, natural cleaning product for your home. To clean and polish wood furniture, add two tablespoons of lemon juice to 10 drops of (real) lemon oil and a few drops of jojoba oil.   by Dr Weil

LEMON INFUSED VODKA
The vodka takes on the most perfect shade of light yellow.
Yield: approximately 2 cups infused vodka
Ingredients/supplies:
·         2 cups vodka (neutral flavor)
·         3 medium lemons,  rinsed well and quartered
·         Quart size Mason jar with lid (or any jar with a sealing lid)
Place lemons and vodka in the jar; seal.  Place in a dark, cool place and test for flavor after one week.  Continue to taste ( MY FAVORITE PART) until vodka has taken on the depth of flavor you prefer; remove and discard lemons, seal jar and enjoy!
 Now use your infused Vodka to make some summer favorites

 

BUG JUICE
Ingredients (per cocktail):
·         Lemonade or Limeade (I used ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ not loving the uber sweet regular)
·         1 ½ shot lemon vodka
·         ½ shot Sour Apple Pucker
·         Grenadine
·         1 key lime (can substitute regular limes)
·         Ice
Fill a 16 ounce glass with ice.  Add the vodka and sour apple pucker.  Fill with lemonade or limeade. Add a splash of grenadine and squeeze half a key lime.  Garnish with key lime slices (so cute).