Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
Another pressure cooker first that will save you loads of time (10 min of pressure cooking vs. 60-90 simmering) and preserve lemon peels to use in your recipes or as home-made candy.
When I finished a Ginger Citrus Syrup and was left with delicious, sugar-infused ginger slices and citrus fruit peels, I couldn’t just waste all of that goodness! Easy as pie to dehydrate it and blend it to make a delicious seasoning salt!
At one time, citrus was so precious that even the peel was preserved. Now, it's done because it's delicious. And the leftover syrup makes a great cocktail.
Candied blood orange, bergamot, meyer lemon, and grapefruit peels make a dee-li-cious winter treat. And you end up with scrumptious citrus simple syrup and lots of citrus juice, too.
Complete self-sufficiency would require us to either give up citrus fruit, or move to a climate where we can grow it. How can we nurture our family's love affair with all things citrus, while reducing our footprint? Eliminating waste.