By Janet Hough - I have a Meyer Lemon tree (Citrus x meyeri) that has survived bad weather, drought, bugs, and one major transplant in the past 15 years. It is my mainstay when I need one lemon for a recipe or a bunch to give away to friends. And this winter has been no different. I have been inundated with lemons, so much so that I am running out of uses for these little yellow gems. 

Before someone shouts out that my Meyer Lemon is not a real lemon, please hear me out. It is native to China and thought to be a cross between a true lemon and either a mandarian or common orange. It is rounder and has a sweeter taste than the true lemons such as Lisbon or Eureka. In 1908 it was introduced to the U.S. by Frank Nicholas Meyer, a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee. By the 1940's it was widely grown in California, until it was discovered that a majority of the trees being cloned were symptomless carriers of the Citrus tristeza virus, a virus that killed millions of citrus trees all over the world. After this finding, most of the the Meyer lemon trees in the U.S. were destroyed to save other citrus trees. But a virus-free selection was found in the 1950's by Don Dillon of the California Company Four Winds Growers. This variety was later certified and released in 1975 by the University of California as the ‘improved Meyer Lemon' – Citrus x meyeri'improved'. I guess our issues with citrus tree viruses and bugs is not a new one, eh? [aka huanglongbing]. 

Over the years I have collected tidbits about how to use my lemons for cooking to cleaning. Recently I came across a compilation of ideas, written by Lauren Piro, and thought perhaps I could share some of her ideas with others who may be in the same quandary that I am. 

Listed below are five top picks that I have tried: 

            1. Freshen your microwave: Heat a cup of water with a chopped-up lemons on high until the microwave window is steamy. Let the bowl sit for 15 minutes, then clean away grime and grease with ease.

            2. Get stains out of a cutting board: Run the cut side of a lemon over the board to remove food stains and smells. For extra power, sprinkle it with salt or baking soda first. Wipe wooden boards with mineral oil to seal.

            3. Shine chrome bathroom fixtures: Run the cut side of a lemon over faucets, drains, etc. to remove mineral deposits and make them sparked. Rinse and dry when done.

            4. Kill weeds: Spray any garden offenders with a little lemon juice to banish them from your yard. Be careful, keep the juice away from the plants you want to keep, as the acidity could damage or kill flowers and bushes too.

            5. Remove stains from linens: This tip is safe for even delicate or vintage fabrics – treat a set-in stain with lemon juice and salt. Let mix sit for half an hour, then rinse with vinegar and warm water.

            Also included in Lauren's list were: De-stink the garbage disposal, get rid of tarnish on brass, remove a rust stain from fabric, remove T-shirt sweat stains, create a makeshift scented humidifier, or clean a cheese grater.

 If anyone has other cleaning ideas they use, I would love to hear about them! I have a fantastic lemon pie recipe that I would share if anyone is interested too. Lemon recipes are great any time of year. Personally I just enjoy eating the little gems cut into quarters with salt added. True lemon or not – it is my pick for a sour delight!