When Life Gives You Lemons

When live gives you lemons, make lemonade;
better yet, make marmalade.

A common analogy is to make the best of a situation, but I’d rather interpret it as to look for the sweet and fabulous outcomes of all things. Because if you were going to be a fruit, to be a lemon is among the best of all. You’d be bright and versatile, and pack a punch while you’re at it.

The intoxicating scent of lemon blossoms is distilled into perfume and essence; its leaves are steeped in soups and stews or finely curled into chiffonnades to sprinkle on meats and sweets; its fruits brightly sour, squeezed onto savory dishes and sweet drinks alike. Those rooting in citrus land make sure to plant a few varieties, while others cultivate them in the sunniest corner of their home. For sure, there are not only key limes and Eureka lemons. There are Bergamot and Yuzu lemons, prized for their heady aromas, Kaffir limes for their tender and fragrant leaves, Meyer’s for their gentle acidity and juiciness, and many more.

I grow a kumquat tree to remind myself of my native land during the lunar new year holiday. Come springtime, it’s laden with little orange orbs like gold hanging on a tree, passing on our wishes for a year of prosperity and good luck. Candied kumquats drizzle just the right tartness onto vanilla ice cream. Yuzu lemon zest smeared onto bacon gives a clean scent to balance the meat’s fattiness perfectly. One plants these treasures in their garden to tell stories of the past, to appreciate the beauty of the moment, and to carry on hopes for the future.

To make lemon marmalade, deseed and slice about half a dozen lemons into thin rounds, then give them 3 rounds of boiling to reduce their bitter taste. The bitterness is part of the charm though, so you shouldn’t overdo it. Take another half a dozen lemons, cut away the peel and deseed, and then blitz into a pulp. All goes into a pot along with water and one and a half cup of sugar to start with, adjusting to taste. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium-low heat until it is thickened, about an hour. It will congeal more once cooled. Lemon marmalade sweetens water and tea, is good on toast, and adds a tangy sweetness to chicken roast.