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Don’t Compost That Used Lemon Yet
How to preserve and candy your lemons for a rainy day
I think the moment in my day that always breaks my heart the hardest is the moment I see a lemon squeezed. Sometimes I’m at a bar and I see a lemon squeezed into a drink, or I’m at the wharf and see lemons squeezed over fish. However it happens, the followup is always the same; that lemon is thrown right into the trash.
That’s the part that kills me.
All that lemon rind.. all that flesh.. all that juice you couldn’t get out with those weak fingers.. it’s an atrocity. A used lemon is a wonderland of potential flavor and good health, thanks to the magic of fermentation.
Fire the Sheriff
Of all the foods I ferment, lemons are the most subtle and easy to care for. They quietly sit in their jar, day after day, emitting only mild bubbles. Next to my lemon jar sits my ginger bug, a ferment that erupts like a gunshot every time I open the lid.
Each of my ferments are active in very different ways, because they’re all breeding different kinds of bacteria.
If you’re not familiar with the fermentation process, you might be saying “Bacteria? What?! Ewww gross!!” It’s not! Fermentation is good! And by the way, you are smothered and filled with bacteria. In fact our bodies contain 10x more bacteria cells than cells that house our own DNA. It’s smart to start having a say over what kinds of bacteria inhabit your internal ecosystem. They help call the shots on everything from health, mood, to what kinds of food you like to eat.
Bacteria are the sheriffs in town, and if you’re not happy with your health or your body, it’s time to fire the sheriff and hire a new one.
Breeding a New Sheriff
It’s very easy to have an impact on what kind of bacteria inhabit your gut, and it’s better to get started earlier rather than later.
These bacteria already live on the skins and inside the flesh of the fruits and vegetables you’re eating. They live on the skin of…
