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| A Lime or a Lemon? |
In my younger days I suffered frequently from hay fever. The
usual stuff prescribed by the doctors such as Avil would suppress symptoms for
a while but it kept coming back between the ages of 16 and 24 until someone
mentioned that a lemon a day helps and it did. In a few months the attacks
stopped and have never occurred again. Perhaps one grows out of them with age
too. Ever since, I have grown lemon or lime trees at home whenever the
opportunity has arisen, preferring the variety without thorns for a home
garden. Plants needed thorns in the wilderness to protect themselves from grazing animals but they do not need that kind of a protection in a home garden. As a small tree they are an excellent choice for small gardens and in
hot summers remain at hand for a refreshing cool drink in tall galsses sweetened
with a bit of honey or crushed jaggery and topped with ice cubes
The distinction between lime and lemons is not made in India and they
go by the same name of Nimboo, just different varieties of the same fruit which
in fact they are, both belonging to the genus citrus, family Rutaceae and order
Sapindales. Lime are the greener varieties that contain less vitamin C but more
vitamin A and the flavor is somewhat different as indeed it is with different
varieties of this delightful fruit promoting relief, health and adding a touch
of good taste to many a dish. Just a bit of its juice added to Mayonnaise sauce
changes that to tartar sauce which is so much nicer with many foods such as
fish.
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| A photo from the author's backyard |
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