14th November – The lemon origin story

What is the origin of the lemon?

Ever wondered why they are shaped the way they are? Why there is such a thick layer of pith between the tasty lemon juice and the peel on the outside? Why each lemon comes basically the same as the other?

This did not happen overnight. In fact they were made that way. Not by some all-powerful being that designed it all, although some may believe this tale. But it was by some of the little people, don’t worry, you don’t tend to see them. They also hide a lot. Now before you start to wonder if we are being rude about their name, we only call them little people because, well, they are little and seem to be like people. They have different names in many cultures but, unlike those stories, these little people are real and when they see big people, they understand the term we use today.

But like all creatures, they are sometimes a little clumsy. They found that they needed to find a method to protect their heads when running around, this can be in sports or just going into fields to collect food. It is a very dangerous business hunting for berries, fruits or, should one of them try, there is also hunting squirrel. Those nuts make their teeth very sharp indeed. Protective head gear is definitely needed at those times.

So eventually, one of these little people looked around for a way to protect themselves.

They looked to the apple. Too soft. The skins on the apple broke too easily and went brown and smelly far too quickly. They found peaches and plums but they were too weak. Also many of the plums got eaten making them useless as defensive gear as they didn’t last that long to even be tested against squirrels.

Then one day, one of them, they can’t remember which one as who writes down names, looked to a lemon and the orange. The orange was too big to be able to protect them without being tied and manipulated. But the lemon sat on their head. Snugly.

Over time they got very good at choosing the best ones and looked to only pick the ones that were tougher and thicker. These worked best to protect their heads while also keeping berries safer when being transported, an accidental but helpful by-product. But they never found any use for the seeds. They were simply extra. So they would toss these to the side and never thought about it.

Over time, this meant that only the lemons that had a thick pith and a strong taste were harvested. The lemon trees that didn’t produce the right lemons would slowly be cut down and overrun by those that grew stronger lemons.

So the next time you pick up a lemon, look back into the insides and think about the head that would fit in there. Why the thick layer of pith is perfectly formed to create a cushion should something fall on that head inside the lemon. Then also consider how many lemon trees were chosen to help farm the right size and shape of lemon.

But like most, I am sure you will just notice the strong taste in your drink or the juice over your food.