Tuesdays With Tracy: Lemons, Love & Tradition

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Hi Friends,

I hope you are enjoying the warmth and sunshine that the month of June brings. The Pelicans are still gracing us with their presence on the pond.

Tuesdays-with-Tracy-Lemon-recipes-the pond

LEMONS, LOVE & TRADITION

May was a crazy month with snow and rain. The peonies bloomed just before some frost and rain so I ran out and cut bunches of them to bring inside. In June my peonies are finished but Kelly’s are beginning to bloom.

My friend Pam found this sweet angel and gave it to me knowing that I like to dig in the garden. As the peony petals were falling I thought this garden angel might want to do some cleanup with her shovel.

LEMONS, LOVE & TRADITION

It’s June and it brings sunshine and that brings me to thoughts of lemons. So, I’d like to share some of our favorite lemon recipes.

I first tasted Chicken Piccata at dinner in the home of my friend Patti. She is a great cook! She shared her recipe with me and we have been making it ever since. Everyone in our family loves this. I use this slightly adapted recipe from the cookbook, Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis.

Chicken Picatta — **PRINT RECIPE HERE!**

“Lemons are the sunshine of the culinary world.” – Anonymous

Larry’s Lemon Cake

I found the following recipe from my mother. I remember her telling me that someone at church had brought it to a potluck and she loved it.

A few years ago my husband, Larry, decided to bake it for our small group. We have met most Wednesdays with the same group of friends for fellowship, bible study, and prayer for thirty years. They loved the cake too. This last Christmas Larry made this recipe into half sized Bundt cakes and gifted it to our friends.

Larry's lemon cakes — **PRINT RECIPE HERE!**

In the summer of 2011 Larry and I went on our first overseas adventure to Italy. Let me tell you there are lemons everywhere in Italy.

Limoncello

On one memorable evening in Tuscany we sipped our first Limoncello. We were staying in Greve in Chianti and just above it on a hilltop is Ristoro di Lamole, a restaurant that has been there since 1993.

Larry and I were learning to enjoy the slow dining experience of Italy. Shortly after we sat down another couple was seated. I leaned over to Larry and said we won’t be leaving until after them. Ha!

Have you noticed that restaurants in America want to turn over the tables quickly and it is encouraged to rush through a meal? Not in Italy!

Well, two hours later after slowly eating and enjoying the sunset, the waiter brought an icy bottle of lemon sunshine to our table with two small glasses. We had seen this happen at the other tables, it was on the house. Um, yes please! That began our love of Limoncello.

We began experimenting with recipes and now enjoy making our own homemade Limoncello.