I came up with a bunch of things that a person can do with lemons besides making lemonade. In our yard we have three lemon trees. Two of them are Meyer and the other is a Ponderosa variety. If I could squeeze (pardon the pun) one more variety somewhere into the yard, it would be a Eureka lemon. This, by the way, is the variety you purchase at the grocery store and is the standard lemon of commerce. The reason most of us do not have the Eureka variety growing in our yards is that it is short-lived and sensitive to cold, insects, and neglect. Meyer lemons are more adapted to our area. The Ponderosa lemon is the gigantic lemon/citron hybrid that typically produces grapefruit-sized fruit. Even though this variety is rather cold-sensitive, I enjoy watching the reaction people have upon seeing the monster-sized fruit.
Around here, when we say or hear the word limón, we generally mean the Mexican or Key lime, which technically is a lima. If in Mexico you go to purchase a great big glass of ice-cold limonada, please don't try to set them straight by asking for a limanada or a limada. The vendor will politely correct you or think you are weird. In Mexico a true lemon is referred to as a limón americano, because it really isn't used down there like the lime is. I'm sure everybody knows the difference between limes and lemons, so I won't get into that. When it comes to substituting limes for lemons, in some cases you can do that, in some it just won't be the same. I, personally, like to experiment with different types of fruit.

Lemons in the kitchen
o If you start your meal with a salad, squeeze a little lemon juice on it instead of dressing. You will feel fuller faster and spare yourself a few calories.
o If you add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the water you cook rice in, it will be fluffier.
o For tea with a slight lemon taste and fragrance, store pieces of dried lemon peel in you tea canister.
o When you finish using a lemon, cut up the peel into strips and freeze. When you need grated lemon peel, simply throw into a blender for instant grated peel.
o When serving lemon wedges as a garnish, dip the cut edge in chili powder, paprika, or finely chopped parsley.
o Twisting the peel of a wedge or slice of lemon before dropping it into a beverage releases the wonderful aromatic oils. We generally do not drink enough water every day, so to improve the taste and help us drink more, squeeze a little lemon juice into each glass that you serve yourself.
o Substitute fresh lemon juice for vinegar when making homemade or packaged salad dressings.
o Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the cooking water will keep broccoli green and cauliflower white.
o Canned, frozen, or fresh fruit improves in taste when lemon juice and grated rind are added.
o To get more juice out of a lemon, microwave for a few seconds before squeezing.
o Try adding a little grated lemon rind (also called zest) to cakes and deserts, stews, meatballs, meat loaf, and spaghetti sauce. It tastes great on Jell-o and vanilla ice cream. Try stirring grated lemon peel into vegetable sauces like hollandaise, bernaise, mornay, etc. For a classic vegetable sauce combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, the juice of half a lemon, and a dash of cayenne pepper. It's easier to grate peel from an unsqueezed lemon and easier still if the lemon is slightly frozen. Even if you are not going to use the zest immediately, you can still grate it off a whole lemon on to a cookie sheet before halving it. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the zest is frozen, then scrape it into a tightly sealing container and keep frozen to use as needed. It will keep for several months.
oLemon juice will improve the taste of French dressing.
o When steaming artichokes, add a slice of lemon, a clove of garlic, and a bit of olive oil to the water. Serve with a dipping sauce of melted butter and lemon juice.
o When you bake a pie, especially apple, add grated lemon peel to the crust dough.
o Try a fresh squeeze of lemon juice over asparagus, broccoli, or soup.
o Lemon juice will prevent cut fruits like bananas, pears, apples, and avocados from darkening.
o To make a substitute for buttermilk or sour milk for cooking or baking purposes, add two tablespoons of lemon juice to a cup of fresh milk.
o Adding a few drops of lemon juice to whipping cream prior to whipping improves texture.
o To make lemon sugar, coarsely grate lemon rind and mix with sugar. Place into a cheesecloth and wring tightly. Allow to stand 15 minutes before using.
o Lemon butter over freshly steamed vegetables is great-tasting. To make it, melt 1/4 cup of butter or margarine and add the juice and grated peel of a half lemon plus one tablespoon chopped parsley or cilantro. To pour over popped popcorn, combine 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine with one tablespoon lemon juice and a little chili powder to taste.
o Diet drinks taste better with a dash of lemon juice. To make a quick and easy low calorie cocktail, add a bit of lemon juice and Tabasco sauce to some tomato juice.
o To eliminate the fishy smell from sardines, squeeze a lemon over them and let it stand 30 minutes.
o You can marinate beef in equal parts lemon juice and olive oil for one hour prior to broiling or grilling. Season with salt and pepper after cooking. This will also work on chicken and rabbit.

Lemon cleaners
o You can eliminate odors in the garbage disposal by grinding lemon peels with hot running water.
o For stains on formica countertops, squeeze a fresh lemon over the stain and let soak for 1/2 hour, then sprinkle some baking soda over it. Scrub with a soft washcloth, rinse, and wipe dry.
o When cleaning windows or any type of glass, adding some lemon juice to the water will clean even better.
o Keeping a cut lemon in the refrigerator will help keep it smelling fresh and clean.
o To clean copper, sprinkle it with regular table salt and then rub with cut lemon. Rinse and wipe dry. For discolored aluminum pots, boil sliced slices of lemon in water to renew the shine.
o To remove scratches from wooden furniture, rub with equal parts lemon juice and vegetable oil.
o To deodorize the microwave, combine the grated rind and juice of one lemon with five or six cloves. Add one cup of water and microwave on high for five minutes. Leave the mixture in the microwave till it cools before opening or removing.
o Lemon juice will remove certain adhesives from hands and clothes. It will also remove ink, fruit, and other stains.
o After enjoying a great fish dinner, save the lemon rind to scrub fishy odors from the pan.
o If you are having a problem with ants in the house, place slices of fresh lemon where you see the ants or where they travel. The ants will move away from the area. I realize that this has nothing to do with cleaning, but I didn't want to start another category just for the ants.
o Another non-cleaner: To lower the pH of the water for your potted plants, add a few drops of lemon juice to the water prior to watering your plants. This will allow the plants to take up more nutrients and be healthier.

Lemon remedies
o One of the best ways to relieve sore throat pain is by sipping hot lemonade. Make it on the strong side and sip on it slowly to soothe the throat. You can also gargle with diluted lemon juice (as strong as you can take it) to relieve throat pain.
o Another good brew for coughs is to boil a whole lemon in a cup of water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Next, cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice into the cooking water. Add 3/4 cup of honey and mix well. Take one teaspoon at a time as needed.
o This is an old cold remedy: Fill your bathtub with water as hot as you can stand it. Pour a jigger of rum, tequila, or bourbon into a glass of hot lemonade and drink this while in the hot water tub. When you finish your drink, dry off and jump into bed to sweat it out.
o Drinking a glass of hot water with lemon juice in the morning upon rising aids the body's natural elimination processes. Squeeze fresh lemon juice into a glass of water and drink as refreshing pick-me-up.
o Drinking a glass of unsweetened lemonade 20 minutes before a meal will curb your appetite and help in weight control.
o Lemon juice acts as a natural antiseptic when applied to minor cuts and abrasions. You can then follow the lemon with a little aloe vera to speed healing.

Lemon cosmetics
Before all the products with alpha-hydroxy acids were on the market, there was good old lemon juice. Actually, because fruits have traditionally been used cosmetically for ages, AHA products were developed directly from those same fruit acids. Several years ago I developed an herbal skin gel called Silk Skin that contains lemon. Those of you that have used it know how well it works.
o To make an excellent astringent, mix fresh lemon juice with a little bit of water. Apply directly to the face before retiring, then rinse off with water in the morning. This works as a treatment for mild blemishes and skin irritations. To make a refreshing skin bracer, blend the juice of half a lemon with warm water and splash it on after washing the face to tighten pores.
o I think freckles on women are attractive. However, if you want to bleach or at least lighten them, rub them with lemon juice and sit in the sun for a while. Then rinse with pure water.
o To get rid of bleach, onion, or garlic odor from your hands, work the juice or rind of lemon into them.
o After using a lemon half, you can rub the spent half on your elbows to soften the skin.
o For softer cuticles and white nails, mix three cups warm water with the juice of half a lemon. Soak fingers five minutes, and repeat once a week.
o After shampooing your hair, rinse it with warm lemon water, then follow with pure water. This helps eliminate any soap residue and leaves hair shiny and squeaky clean.
o While I do not advocate sun tanning, if you want to risk needless exposure to damaging UV rays, you can mix baby oil with lemon juice to make a tanning lotion. This will offer no skin protection as it contains no sun screen.
o A good substitute for toothpaste is lemon peel. It will also freshen your breath.
I think these are enough lemon tips for now. If you don't have a lemon tree in your yard, you can find them at local garden centers around town. They are easy to grow and reward you with plenty of lemons several months out of the year, and now you can do more with them besides make lemonade!