About Lemons

• Thick-skinned with abundant acidic juice and yellow flesh contained in 8 to 10 segments
• Packed with natural goodness, rich in vitamin C
• Two common types are the large Eureka, with pitted skin and a few seeds, and the smaller seedless Lisbon which has a smooth skin
• Widely used for flavoring food in Europe

Selecting

Choose lemons that are heavy for their size, they will give you more juice. Go for bright yellow skins; greenish tinges mean that the lemon is not fully ripe and will be more acidic.
DOLE Lemons have abundant juice because they are left on the tree as long as possible, and then picked carefully by hand.

Storing

Thanks to their natural acidity, lemons stay fresh when stored for longish periods. You can safely keep them for a couple of weeks at room temperature and longer in the refrigerator. If you have used only part of a lemon, cover the remaining piece and pop it in your fridge.

Eating

Although lemons are too tart and acidic to eat fresh out of the hand, they are a very versatile fruit. You can use the juice to flavor and freshen up a wide variety of hot and cold food, especially fish, salads and dressings. Grated lemon peel is used to add flavor to cooked dishes.

You can also spread lemon juice on cut fruit and vegetables to prevent them turning brown through oxidation. It’s certainly worth having a couple of lemons in the kitchen at all times!

Availability

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Growing regions

Spain, Italy, Turkey and the USA are major producers.