Just a couple of days ago I realized that my baskets are filled with lemons. Sometimes our lives are so fast paced that it feels like we get a blurry vision, we don’t really see what’s actually in front us but mainly what boggles our minds at the time. It happens often, to all of us. The fact that I completely forgot about my lemons and left them waiting in their baskets definitely means that I’ve been caught up in the frantic rush of everyday life.

Lemons have a special place in my heart; I adore lemon trees and the beauty of their fruits. The scent of lemon flowers is my all-time favorite! I consider myself lucky enough to have a small garden where I can have some lemon trees in pots. We live in Greece, so growing lemon trees doesn’t sound like something special! The truth is that lemon trees barely make it through winter in Northern Greece. Summers are obviously very warm but winters can be really cold and frosty and lemon trees despise below zero temperatures. We’ve lost many plants due to extreme cold conditions.

I always make sure my lemon trees are placed in sunlit spots, protected from northerly winds but sometimes that’s not enough. In recent years we started covering them with frost blankets when the weather gets extremely cold. Not exactly a feast for the eyes, especially when you think that under this blanket lies a beautiful plant, filled with gorgeous, fresh lemons.

Winter has been quite cold so far, with a bit of snow every now and then. Even though frost blankets protected my lemon trees from burning, their leafage got severely damaged and we lost quite a few lemons. Evidently, our crop isn’t big this year but it’s big enough for domestic consumption. So I picked some lemons, filled my baskets and decorated some corners of our garden with them. The view of this lively, fresh color amid winter excites me and fills me up with so much positive energy.

Lemons are used everywhere! In desserts, salty recipes, salads, sauces, soups, juices.. The list of their beneficial properties is endless. It’s probably the only fruit that’s never missing from our kitchen, it’s one of our basics. Apart from the taste that lemons add to our dishes, they are also fruits with medicinal benefits! Citrus might be acidic but it also produces alkaline byproducts once it’s metabolized, giving it the properties of a super food. It contains high percentage of vitamin C and helps with the treatment of infections, viral infections and numerous other diseases. It’s the indisputable protagonist of the season, due to the outburst of infections and colds (especially this year).

I’m thinking of what I could make with my gorgeous, flavorful lemons. Something that will bring out their unique aroma. Even though I keep on finding new, delicious recipes that I’ve never tried before, I often end up making ones that are tested and approved. Oldies but goldies!

I’ve decided to make a beloved lemon and orange mousse. A very fresh and light dessert, ideal for those of us who are not big fans of super sweet desserts. It’s dreamy and fluffy and can be eaten any time of the day. Absolutely delicious! I find the combination of lemon and orange just perfect, but you can choose to use either the first or the latter. It is also perfect for kids; they will love the taste and benefit from the uncooked vitamins at the same time! Delicious, like a homemade creamy dessert with antioxidant properties! Who would say no to that?