Lemon and lemongrass cordial

Juice of 4 lemons
a few stalks (peeled and washed) lemongrass
1 and 1/2 cups sugar (or more if you prefer a sweeter taste)
12g (2 and a 1/2 teaspoons) tartaric acid
12 g (2 and 1/2 teaspoons) epsom salts
500ml (2 cups) water

Stir all ingredients over a medium stove till dissolved. Remove lemongrass stalks. Bottle and refridgerate.
Serve in a ratio of 1 part juice to 3 parts iced water or to your taste.
it is also good with soda/mineral water.

Woodstock

Woodstock
Ingredients

Glass: 150ml/5oz Old Fashioned spirit glass
Rim the glass with sugar in maple syrup

Mixers: 30ml/floz gin
10ml/fl oz lemon juice
10ml/fl oz maple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Method: Shake over ice, strain and add cubed ice.

Lemon Pot-Pourri

Since ancient times, herbs have been used for a multitude of purposes; providing shelter, floor -coverings, fire, weapons and utensils; imparted flavour to dishes, produced beautiful scented arrangements for Pot-pourri and used extensively in medicines and homeopathic remedies. I have had the pleasure of growing quite a few species in my garden- amongst these; Lavender , thyme, rosemary, rue, fennel, mustard, parsley, mint, coriander, rocket, Lemon and Rose Pelargoniums, Lemon verbena and many others.

Recently I have begun researching uses for the Lemon-scented Pelargonium.(European name = Geranium) which grown profusely in my garden It has a wonderfully powerful, lemony scent. rubbing it between your fingers produces a wonderful fresh aroma and is great for removing that slightly fatty feel after you have been washing the dishes or cleaning the table tops.
According to our local Fundy, Margaret Roberts, lemon-scented pelargoniums have a variety of uses.
Medicinal Uses of Pelargonium limonseum:
Used to relieve tension. A pillow stuffed with the fragrant leaves aids sleep.

Culinary uses:
Lemon -scented geranium scones: (Rose -scented pelargoniums can also be used)
3 cups cake flour
1 cup nuttiwheat flour
250g butter
2 Tbs chopped scented geranium leaves
4 Tbs sugar (optional)
1 tsp salt
8 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk

Rub butter into the dry ingredients. Add chopped leaves.Mix in milk to make a fairly soft dough. Turn out dough onto floured surface, pat out to about 2 cm in height. Cut out shapes. Bake at 200 degrees C for about 15 minutes until light brown.

Elizabethan Pot-Pourri

A quarter of a 9 litre bucket filled with Rose petals
85g (3 oz) salt
50g (2 oz) fine rubbed bay salt
50g Allspice (Pimenta dioica)
50g Cloves
50g brown sugar
5g (1/4 oz) Gum Benzoin (Styrax benzoin)
50g Orris root (Iris germanica)
2 Tbs brandy
110g (4oz) Lavender heads
110g Lemon Pelargonium leaves
50g Lemon verbena leaves

Sprinkle the fresh Rose petals with the common salt and leave for 3 days. Stir in the remaining ingredients, then place the mixture in a stone pot. Stir every 3 days for two weeks, adding a few drops of brandy if the mixture appears too dry and lacking in scent. A moist pot-pourri like this will have a more lingering perfume.

Lemon and Chicken Couscous Salad

Ingredients
4 chicken breast fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
cracked black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon

lemon couscous
1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shredded lemon rind
2 tablespoons salted capers
3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Method

Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Lightly fry the chicken breasts in a little olive oil until they are just off-pink. Set aside.

Place the couscous in a pot and pour over the boiling chicken stock. Stand for a few minutes until couscous is plumped up. Add the lemon juice.

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the lemon rind, capers, sage and almonds and cook for about 7 minutes or until the almonds are slightly roated. Add the couscous to the pan and toss to combine.

Serve the chicken breasts on top of the couscous.