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When Life Gives You Lemons, Put Their Zest to the Test With All Kinds of Uses

Posted on: Monday, 15 December 2008, 14:37 CST

Fresh Sunkist (R) Lemons Provide Enhanced Flavor, Natural Remedy To Combat Colds & Flu and Cost Effective Beauty Aid Conveniently Wrapped In Fragrant, Sunny Yellow Package

VISALIA, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Mother Nature has been cooking up a storm of bright yellow, tart and tangy lemons, just ripe for picking. Sunkist, the world's leading citrus cooperative, is ringing in the holidays with an abundance of fresh, juicy lemons. Primed to perfection by the warm sunshine, rich soil and ideal growing conditions in California and Arizona, this season's crop of Sunkist lemons provides a sunny antidote to the winter weather blues.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081215/LA52342)

"The quality of this season's lemon harvest is really impressive," said Claire Smith, Director of Corporate Communications for Sunkist. "It's a tribute to Mother Nature's goodness and a true testament to the dedication of the growers who make up our Sunkist cooperative. This year we have an abundant supply of lemons that deliver the juice and the sweet, tart flavor that will delight cooks and consumers worldwide."

With truck loads of lemons making their way to grocery stores across the country, Sunkist offers tips for their use beyond the wedge or the slice. From flavor enhancer to refreshing beverage; a rich source of Vitamin C and other nutrients; and a cosmetic aid, the lemon offers a multitude of uses and benefits all wrapped up in a fragrant, sunny yellow package.

Culinary Creations

At the center of every lemon lies the secret to cooking with pizzazz. With the holiday season upon us, many culinary aficionados are looking for refreshing new ways to liven up the standard fare at brunches, cocktail parties and evening soirees. The simple addition of tangy, fresh Sunkist lemons to recipes is an effortless way to add a burst of flavor to meals.

One of our favorite recipes from the Sunkist kitchen is for Preserved Lemons. An indispensable ingredient in many Moroccan and Middle Eastern recipes, such as chicken, fragrant lamb and vegetable tagines, preserved lemons are lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. Their unique pickled taste and special silken texture cannot be duplicated with fresh lemon or lime juice.

VERSATILITY "BEYOND THE WEDGE"

In addition to cooking, Sunkist inspires consumers to take advantage of this season's abundance in a variety of creative ways:

Household Hints

• Lemons are great in the kitchen to deodorize, remove grease, bleach stains and disinfect. When mixed with baking soda, they can even remove stains from plastic food storage containers
• A halved-lemon dipped in salt or baking powder brightens copper cookware. The acid cuts through the tarnish and the abrasives assist the cleaning

Beauty Bets

• Naturally lighten hair by applying lemon juice before heading out in the sun
• Ohio State University aromatherapy researchers found that lemon oil aroma may enhance your mood and aid in relaxation

Decor Delights

• Fresh lemons displayed in a bowl add color and fragrance to any room
• Score a lemon, insert a name card and place at each table setting for a bright burst of color

For more of these tips featuring fresh Sunkist lemons and other tantalizing tangy recipes including one for Moroccan Style Chicken With Preserved Sunkist(R) Lemons, visit www.sunkist.com.

RECIPE: PRESERVED LEMONS

4 to 5 Sunkist(R) lemons

1/3 cup sea, kosher, or table salt

Juice of 3 to 4 Sunkist lemons

• Remove stems from lemons.
• In large saucepan, cook lemons in boiling water. Cover for 1 minute.
• Drain water and rub lemons dry with paper towel
• Cut lemons in quarters lengthwise, from blossom end to 1/2 inch of stem end, cutting almost through but leaving quarters attached.
• Sprinkle approximately 2 tablespoons salt between lemon quarters, and reassemble lemons.
• Pack lemons into sterilized wide-mouth 1-quart jar, pressing down on lemons to release some of their juice, and packing as tightly as possible.
• Sprinkle remaining salt over lemons in jar.
• Add enough lemon juice to cover lemons.
• Cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 weeks.
• Shake once a day until salt is dissolved, and push lemon down into liquid to keep covered.

Makes 1 quart.

About Sunkist Growers, Inc.

The Sunkist brand was first used in 1907 to promote and unify an emerging fruit cooperative formed by independent growers (known previously as the Southern California Fruit Exchange and later as the California Fruit Growers Exchange). By 1908, the "Sunkist" name had captured the organization's interest and was adopted as trademark to appear on boxes of premium quality fruit. This legacy is honored today, over 100 years later, by the California and Arizona growers, most of whom are small family farmers, who now own Sunkist Growers.

Steadfast to its commitment to provide quality fresh fruit, Sunkist is one of the world's oldest and largest citrus marketing cooperatives, packing millions of cartons of fruit each year.

Stretching its presence beyond the produce aisle, the Sunkist brand has licensed its name to more than 600 products - ranging from vitamins to beverages - in 50 different countries. For more information about Sunkist, visit www.sunkist.com.

CONTACT: Lisa Ruiz-Rogers, 323-866-6059, lisa.rogers@mslpr.com

SOURCE Sunkist Growers, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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