When life gives you lemons… make lemonade.

A famous saying that is very fitting in our circumstances,  and I was especially reminded of it today as I made three recipes with lemons for tomorrows radio segment.

Some may say, that life gave Dave lemons when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphomas, now over 4 months ago.

What he has had to go through so far with Chemotherapy, and still to come with Radiotherapy, is anything but pleasant. It has often been difficult, worrying, upsetting, tiring and distressing. But it has also been an opportunity to think through what’s important in life, for us to grow closer as a couple and a family, for the kids and I to realize (even more than we already did) how fortunate we are to have a wonderful husband and father. It has given us new friends (e.g. Nurses), new opportunities to catch up with friends we haven’t seen for  while, and a new understanding and empathy for cancer sufferers.

So as the saying goes – we are busy making lemonade.

Today I have made three recipes with lemons. Lemons are right in season at the moment, are cheap to buy in the shops and often plentiful on friends trees – at no charge. That’s how I got a big pile in my fruit bowl! (Thanks to Beks neighbours!)

The three recipes are:

1. Lemon cordial
2. Lemon and Hazelnut syrup cake
3. Preserved lemons.

The recipes will be on the Riverina Institute website tomorrow, but here is the lemon cordial recipe. It is just so easy and so much nicer than bought cordials. This is also a great recipe to make and put in a pretty bottle for a gift.

• Lemon Cordial (makes approx. 1litre)

Ingredients

• 500mls fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx. 10 lemons)
• Rind from ½ lemons
• 500mls Water
• 1kg Caster sugar
• 1 tsp Citric acid

Method

Wash the lemons well, then remove rind from half of the lemons with a peeler. (Removing any white pith from peel)

Squeeze the lemons until you have 500mls juice. Strain into a saucepan.

Add water, sugar and rind and stir regularly until it comes to the boil.

Taste and add citric acid until correct acidity.

Strain into a jug and fill sterilized glass bottles.

Serve with sparkling water, about 1:4 parts.

Dave is, as expected, going downhill, is really tired, short of breath and quite nauseous.  I think knowing that this is the last time is helping a lot. He had a good friend visit this afternoon which he really enjoyed. Tomorrow he is back to the specialist.

Will and I have had a busy day doing jobs around the house. Two trips to the tip, lots of cooking, cleaned up the garage, fixed the front lights and stained the front deck amongst other things!

I’m now exhausted, as is Will. So sausage rolls for dinner and an hour or two in front of the tele for us both.