# Cooking/Baking Dopers: I have 18 lemons, no zest. What to make?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 4, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795 "2008-06-04T20:32:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/1 "2008-06-04T20:32:44Z")
On Monday, I started part 1 of making Limoncello: zesting 18 organic lemons\* and letting it steep in Everclear for 2 weeks.
So now I have 18 whole lemons, minus zest.\*\* I’m looking more for baking recipes, though I love cooking as well (meat-free, for the most part). Gimme recommendations for what I can bake or cook before these go bad!
- the wax coating on regular lemons dissolves into the booze, which is gross.
\*\* I went to the u-scan at Kroger and it apparently isn’t set up to recognize the 5 digit PLU codes that were on the organic lemons. The cashier had to put it in. It was hilarious, since she verified they were lemons and asked how many. When I said “18” she had this look on her face that said, “what the HELL is she doing buying 18 freaking lemons???”
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### Author:  [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/2 "2008-06-04T20:37:27Z")
Herbed butter.
Chunk butter into a small pan and melt it at low temperature. (You don’t want to boil it or anything, you just want it to be melted and warm) Toss in your choice of herb and stir for a bit.
Add a shot of lemon juice before you take the butter off and immediately pour it over the pasta or whatever you want to anoint. Scarf.
What about lemon bars? I don’t have a recipe on hand, but on the occasions I’ve tried lemon bars that others have made, they’ve been extremely tasty, if sweet enough to send a bull into sugar shock.
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### Author:  [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/3 "2008-06-04T20:53:20Z")
lemon bar recipes often require zest. Like 4 lemon’s worth of juice to 1 lemon-worth of zest.
Although, I think my mom’s recipe calls for specific amounts–you know like 3/4 cup lemon juice and 1 tsp. zest. Not that I have my mom’s recipe at my fingertips to give to you, but still, just fyi.
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### Author:  [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/4 "2008-06-04T20:59:13Z")
That’s exactly the issue, **Eureka**. Most recipes I’ve seen usually call for lemon zest as well (and I know why, since it’s awesome).
I DO like the herbed butter with pasta idea. Mmmm.
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### Author:  [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/5 "2008-06-04T21:01:36Z")
For that number of lemons, probably the only option is lemonade. Lemons go moldy really fast after you take the zest off, so hurry.
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### Author:  [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/6 "2008-06-04T21:14:32Z")
Lemon Curd
Juice of 2 lemons
2 eggs, lightly whisked
¾ cup sugar
125g (4 oz) butter, chopped
1 teaspoon cornflour
Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir with a whisk over low heat until the mixture thickens, without allowing it to boil.
Remove from heat. Pour into sterilised jars and seal.
Keep in the fridge.
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### Author:  [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/7 "2008-06-04T21:18:35Z")
LEMONADE! Make it special with some strawberry juice.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/8 "2008-06-04T21:21:53Z")
Make a lot of fish?
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### Author:  [@JimmyFlair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyFlair)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/9 "2008-06-04T21:26:42Z")
[QUOTE=Hockey Monkey]
LEMONADE! Make it special with some strawberry juice.
[/QUOTE]
That’s what I was going to say! I found a recipe last week for a strawberry lemonade that sounded delicious, but lately at my local fruit place the lemons are expensive and a little sad looking.
I do have a freezer filled with strawberries for the lemonade, but no lemons. Why won’t life give me some lemons? 😛 (the fruit kind, not the metaphorical lemons of misfortune)
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### Author:  [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/10 "2008-06-04T21:28:27Z")
Suddenly take up juggling and do it really well?
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/11 "2008-06-04T22:08:34Z")
[QUOTE=bathsheba]
Lemon Curd
[/QUOTE]
I love that stuff. My sister in law makes lemon meringue pies with lemon curd, and they are outstanding.
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### Author:  [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/12 "2008-06-04T22:25:28Z")
I came in here to say lemon curd, too. The only thing that’s better than lemon curd, IMO, is lime curd. But that won’t use up your 18 lemons. 😉 You can also make some lemon cupcakes, and fill them with the lemon curd, and then make some whipped cream frosting and add more lemon curd to it, making lemon frosting. Yum!
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### Author:  [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/13 "2008-06-04T22:37:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> **Preserved Lemons**
>
> 4-6 medium Lemons – 4 to 6 medium
> 2 cups water
> 1 cup white-wine vinegar
> 1/3 cup sea salt
> 1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns
> 3 to 6 whole cloves
> 1 stick cinnamon
> 2 to 3 fresh or dry whole bay leaves
>
> Add lemons to a pot of boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. With a
> slotted spoon, transfer lemons to a bowl of ice water and allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes to stop cooking.
>
> Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the 2 cups water, vinegar, and sea
> salt to a boil. Place peppercorns and cloves in a sterilized quart-size
> jar. Remove lemons from ice water, stand each on end and slice an X about halfway down.
>
> Arrange lemons, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves decoratively in the jar,
> turning the best-looking sides outward. The lemons will shrink, so try to
> fit as many in the jar as possible (you may have to gently but firmly push down on them). Pour the boiling salt solution into the jar, covering the lemons completely. Gently turn the jar back and forth to release any air bubbles trapped under lemons. Top off jar with salt solution to the rim. Being very careful, because hot liquid may escape, close jar tightly.
>
> Place jar in a large pot of boiling water, making certain water level is
> deeper than the jar. Boil for 10 minutes, remove with tong, and allow to
> cool completely. Store on countertop or kitchen shelf away from direct light.
What this makes is a sort of lemon chutney, to add to rice or whatnot. Generally you leave the peels on, but I see no huge reason why you have to.
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### Author:  [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/14 "2008-06-04T23:35:35Z")
[QUOTE=Eureka]
lemon bar recipes often require zest. Like 4 lemon’s worth of juice to 1 lemon-worth of zest.
Although, I think my mom’s recipe calls for specific amounts–you know like 3/4 cup lemon juice and 1 tsp. zest. Not that I have my mom’s recipe at my fingertips to give to you, but still, just fyi.
[/QUOTE]
Aaah. I didn’t know that – I’ve never made lemon bars. Consider my ignorance fought.
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/15 "2008-06-04T23:59:28Z")
Lemonade for sure. You can freeze the juice if you need to. My other suggestion is the lemon curd filling for pies and jelly rolls. I’d take them off your hands, if you lived in this town. I can never get enough lemonade.
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### Author:  [@JimmyFlair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyFlair)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/16 "2008-06-05T00:06:31Z")
You could squeeze the juice and freeze it a tablespoon or so at a time in ice cube trays and use it up later for recipes that call for it.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/17 "2008-06-05T00:08:49Z")
Lemon sorbet, anyone?
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### Author:  [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/18 "2008-06-05T03:17:20Z")
If it was me with 18 curds, I’d make lemon curd and lemon sorbet and Nigella Lawson’s disturbingly easy citrus ice cream. (Basically, you dissolve powdered sugar in lemon, lime, or orange juice, or a combination, then whip cream into it. Freeze. Let it resoften slightly, then eat it.)
If you’re not determined to consume them, but just use them and not be wasteful, lemon juice makes a nice rinse between shampooing and conditioning, if your hair is having problems with oiliness or product buildup.
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### Author:  [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/19 "2008-06-05T03:25:23Z")
Well, I, uh, sextupled the curd recipe. I think I have about 2.5-3 quarts. :o but also 😃
I might make a lemon-mint granita! Or lavender lemonade. Yum. Lemon ice cream sounds great, but I have never ever had my ice cream come out right. We follow the directions to the letter and after it freezes it’s more like ice milk.
And no, no need for lemon on my hair. I color my hair red and don’t need anything stripping that out sooner! My hair also is like my skin: damn dry. Except in high summer (with no a/c and it being really humid) I only need to wash my hair twice a week as it is.
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### Author:  [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-baking-dopers-i-have-18-lemons-no-zest-what-to-make/451795/20 "2008-06-05T03:57:12Z")
[QUOTE=zweisamkeit]
- the wax coating on regular lemons dissolves into the booze, which is gross.
[/QUOTE]
Wax coating on lemons?! Really? Why? (You 'Mericans is weird). 🙂
The juice freezes well if you have excess; just pour into an ice cube tray and once frozen into a freezer bag. Having it in cubes makes it easier to pull out later and use in small quantitiies.
(Had a big lemon tree that got citrus borer and had to be chopped – had a freezer full of lemon cubes for quite a while). 🙂
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