Plant Food is the name of one of Abbi Blackman's calypsoes on her 2014 CD titled Abbi Blackman, 50 Strong. In it she exhorts us all, in the soca styling of her famous father, Ras Shorty I: "Plant food, got to feed yourself...I'm appealing to the parents of the land; plant food, save yourself from starvation; plant food, is the only solution."
A wake-up call to T&T as we increasingly gravitate towards imported fruits and foods, mostly 'processed'.
The Ministry of Education's recent announcement to include more local content in the School Nutrition/ Feeding Programme is a welcome initiative that will only augur well for the nation's health and agriculture sectors.
Food for Thought/Grow and Eat Local seeks to inform about the 149 crops that are grown in T&T (not counting the varieties within many of them). All are illustrated on two charts, one for fruits, the other for veggies/root crops/herbs, with a photo of each crop in alpha order giving the local and scientific names. These charts were sponsored by First Citizens, the model being duplicated in Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent with copies distributed to all schools and libraries. For information regarding their availability, email fruitstt@live.com
In this, the 26th instalment of the continuing series, we feature another citrus fruit, rough lemon, having focused previously on lime. Rough lemon, Citrus jambhiri, is the fruit of a citrus hybrid related to the citron and the lemon, with character traits similar to Rangpur or mandarin orange. It is a cold-hardy citrus and can grow into a large tree. There are several cultivars of rough lemon which can be used as a citrus rootstock, among them Florida, Schaub and Vangassay rough lemon.
Citrus fruits, good sources of vitamin C and flavonoids, have been cultivated in an ever-widening area since ancient times, with the best-known examples being oranges, lemons, grapefruit and limes. Citrus trees hybridise very readily, giving rise to a very extensive range of cultivars. It is believed, based on molecular studies, that the citron, pomello, mandarin and papeda were the ancestors of all other citrus species and their varieties, which resulted from breeding or natural hybridization among the parental species.
Today, natural and cultivated citrus hybrids include commercially important fruit such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes and some tangerines. All commercial citrus cultivation use trees produced by grafting the desired fruiting cultivars onto rootstocks selected for disease resistance and hardiness.
What is the difference between rough lemon and lemon? Both fruits originated in a region of North Eastern India (foothills of the Himalayas), Burma and northern China, and are natural hybrids between the citron and other citrus species. Rough lemon seems to have been taken to southeast Africa by the Portuguese toward the end of the 15th or early 16th century and then to Europe.
It doubtless reached the New World not long thereafter. The citric acid content of these fruits will differ with rough lemon being more acidic than that of the ordinary lemon. Other lemon hybrids, for example, Myers Lemon (which originated in China) is a hybrid between citron and sweet orange, thus the juice is less acidic.
Given that the juice from both these fruits are acidic, they can both be used for medicinal, culinary and indigenous purposes. Both fruits are polyembryonic making propagation via seed possible. Both fruits have aromatic oil glands in the peel (zest) which is used for flavouring sweet and savoury food. The skin of the lemon is relatively thinner and not as rough as that of the rough lemon.
Rough lemon trees prefer a warm, subtropical climate with a high rainfall, but once well established they will flourish just as well in other climates, including the winter rainfall regions (Mediterranean) and other colder areas. Rough lemon trees will flourish in coastal regions as long as they are protected against salt-laden sea breeze.
It's easy to grow but care must be taken to avoid waterlogged areas since rough lemon is very susceptible to root rot. If planted from seed, the tree will bear after four to five years, while if grafted, will begin producing fruit after three years.
Rough lemons are used just like the common lemon. Slices are served as a garnish on fish or meat or with iced or hot tea, to be squeezed for the flavourful juice.
Lemon juice, fresh, canned, concentrated and frozen, or dehydrated and powdered, is primarily used for lemonade, in carbonated beverages, or other drinks. It is also used for making pies and tarts, as a flavouring for cakes, cookies, cake icings, puddings, sherbet, confectionery, preserves and pharmaceutical products. A few drops of lemon juice added to cream before whipping gives stability to the whipped cream.
Lemon peel (zest) can be candied at home and is preserved in brine and supplied to manufacturers of confectionery and baked goods and is much employed as a flavouring for hard candies. Lemon juice and rind are used to make marmalade and lemon liqueur. It is also the source of lemon oil, pectin and citric acid. Lemon oil is added to frozen or otherwise processed lemon juice to enrich the flavour. The leaves of the rough lemon tree are used to make a tea and for preparing cooked meats and seafood.
Lemon juice is widely known as a diuretic, antiscorbutic, astringent, and febrifuge. Lemon juice in hot water is widely known as a daily laxative and preventive of the common cold. Concentrated lemon juice or lemon juice and honey, or lemon juice with salt or ginger, is one of the best cold remedies. It was the juice of the Mediterranean sweet lemon, not the lime, that was carried aboard British sailing ships of the 18th Century to prevent scurvy, though the sailors became known as "limeys".
Oil expressed from lemon seeds is employed medicinally. An infusion of the bark or the peel of the fruit is given to relieve colic.
Limes have a slightly higher acid content (on average) than lemons do–about six per cent for limes, compared to 4.5 per cent for lemons. More importantly for their flavour, lemons have about two per cent total sugar, while limes have somewhere between 0.5 per cent and 0.75 per cent. Sugar/sweetness has quite a suppressive effect on the perception of sourness, so lemon juice will most likely taste a bit less sour than lime.
Visit the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries' website at http://www.agriculture.gov.tt/
This series is written in collaboration with Cynthra Persad, retired director of Research, Ministry of Agriculture.
LEMON SPONGE CAKE
INGREDIENTS
1 cup shortening
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp grated lemon peel
6 large eggs, separated
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
METHOD
�2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
�2 Grease and flour two 9" round baking pans.
�2 Beat shortening and 1 1/2 sugar thoroughly, preferably with electric beater.
�2 Mix in vanilla, lemon juice and lemon peel then add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each one is added.
�2 In a bowl sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to batter, blending until smooth.
�2 In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until frothy, gradually add remaining sugar, continuously beating until stiffens somewhat.
�2 Carefully fold beaten egg whites into batter then pour into baking pans.
�2 Bake for approx 1 hr or until stick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
�2 Cool for a few minutes and place, inverted, onto wire rack.
Lemon-vanilla frosting: 2 tbsp butter, 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 tbsp milk, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, lemon zest. With electric mixer, beat butter for 10 minutes, add confectioner's sugar, then add milk and vanilla extract, all the while mixing until smooth. Spread frosting over slightly warm cake and add sprinkles if so desired. Enjoy!