Mmmm, lemons

If I lived in the tropics, I would most definitely have a lemon tree. In the past couple weeks I've bought and used two big bags of lemons, and if I weren't going out of town I'd be buying more today. Lemons have become the new garlic for me.

When I was at my daughter's in late April/early May, she made an outstanding vinaigrette, a simple mixture of olive oil and lemon juice that dressed the salad in diamonds instead of rhinestones. Last night I attempted to recreate it from memory, and succeeded beyond my wildest hopes.

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tblsp. sugar
freshly ground salt
freshly ground pepper

Whisk together and toss with greens. Delish!

Then again, maybe it was the greens. I used romaine, spinach, basil, parsley, chives, green onions, radishes and chives.

No, it was definitely the lemon vinaigrette.

I've noticed as I've gotten, ahem, older, that if given a choice of something citrusy-sweet or something chocolatey-sweet, more often than not I want the citrus. Do you lose your taste for chocolate – for me, once a daily food group – as you age?

I have a lime tree, started and nurtured from seed by a friend and given to me almost two years ago. This year the limes are plentiful, and I'm anxious to try substituting limes for lemons. I think I might also try planting a few lemon seeds. It'll take a few years, but what a luxury to be able to just go pick a lemon any time I needed/wanted one.

Another question: Do we always want the thing we don't have? I try to want what I do have; it's so much easier to not yearn my life away.

But I still want a lemon tree. Heh.