I wish you all a Happy Easter or Fröhliche Ostern as we say in German.
Quickly, let me give you my recipe for avocado toast. Take a slice of your favorite bread (toasted or not) and spread a ripe avocado on it. Or just put slices of avocado on your bread. The choice is yours and anyone can do it. If you want to, add a fried egg and call it breakfast or lunch. Or add anything else you like. I see coffee shops and restaurants that sell these toasts for a lot of money. There is a way to elevate this simple toast into a culinary delight by adding finely chopped, preserved lemon rind. Anytime you bite into one of these crunchy little lemon cubes, your palate will experience an explosion of flavors from the floral notes of the released lemon oils to the salty fermented umami crunch. Preserved lemons are more than just lemons, as they capture the glorious perfume of the lemon and excite your palate. They will enhance almost any dish. Sprinkle them on a salad, a chicken dish or anything else you can think of. Preserved lemons add a fermented quality that regular lemons don’t have with their tart, salty and slightly bitter taste. Preserved lemons have been a staple in North African cuisine since the 11th century. It is a way to preserve lemons for use long after their season is over. Paula Wolfert introduced them to the American audience in 1970 with her award-winning cookbook Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco. If you want a true Moroccan preserved lemon, add the spices. Those who have followed me, know about my lemon trees and my ongoing love for lemons. My blog has many recipes using my Meyer lemons, which I treasure. For years, I have made preserved lemons with some of them, but I have never blogged about them. So, I thought it is time to do so. I have given many jars to my friends and wish I could share them with you too. My niece and her husband took a jar with them back to Germany. I have added whole cloves, dried bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds and black peppercorns. In my last batch, I used just kosher salt, and I think that’s what I prefer. Usually, I use the rind and peel only, removing the pulp and rinsing the peel thoroughly to remove most of the salt. Then, I cut them into into tiny cubes, the smaller the better. I read somewhere that the pulp is great in cocktails, but I haven’t tried that. Lately, I have been adding some preserved lemon when making my chicken stock. Making preserved lemons at home is easy; it just takes time. Mine have lasted a year or longer in the fridge. I am leaving for Germany in a few days and I am not sure that I will post again before Easter. Easter is one of my favorite time to visit my family and friends. The arrival of spring is a happy occasion after the long winter. Everybody is happy and ready to embrace the warmer weather and longer days. The restaurants and cafes move their tables outside, as every ray of sunshine is greeted with a smile and spring is celebrated with holidays and festivities. This year is especially nice because the Easter holiday is later in April. I am going to be able to not only to celebrate Easter but also the first of May. In my village, this day is celebrated with a walk through the forest into the next village. Along the route, there are stands with drinks, some of them being little shots of Schnaps (a gin-like drink). The word Schnaps (according to wikipedia) refers to the fact that the drink is a consumed with a quick slug from a shot glass. In the evening, the celebration continues with a gathering around the May tree in the center of the village where Maibowle (May punch) is being served. This punch is wine steeped in an herb called sweet woodruff. I'll post more about my trip when I return, but in the meantime, I will add some photos from my trip on Facebook and Instagram. I can't wait to be with my German family again. Read about one of my previous trips and deviled eggs here. In this nutty, chewy, not-too-sweet almond lemon cake, whole cooked lemons are being used. It is not your average lemon cake. Click here for the recipe. Here is an easy-to-make pound cake that is infused with lemon juice. A great combination and perfect any time of the day. Click here for the recipe.
I wish you all a Happy Easter or Fröhliche Ostern as we say in German.
37 Comments
Gerlinde
4/12/2019 08:44:14 pm
Happy Easter to you David. Do you use different spices in your preserved lemons?
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4/7/2019 12:10:48 pm
Fried egg for my avocado toast, please. Love the way they look! And add a lot of flavor to an already good dish. Have a great trip to Germany, and Happy Easter!
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Gerlinde
4/16/2019 04:18:36 am
I finally found some time to reply to my comments. I’m on a train in the middle of Germany having a great time. Happy Easter to you John.
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4/7/2019 01:16:42 pm
What a wonderful recipe Gerlinde! I adore avocado and toast and would never spend what they're asking in restaurants. Have a wonderful trip and thanks for sharing! Happy Easter :)
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Gerlinde
4/16/2019 04:20:20 am
Avocado toasts are so easy to make, why pay the price. Happy Easter Tricia.
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4/7/2019 04:58:08 pm
Fabulous recipes Gerlinde. Love the preserved lemons. Hope you have a wonderful trip back home! Happy Easter!
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Gerlinde
4/16/2019 04:25:34 am
I learned to be flexible when visiting my German family and I’m having a wonderful time .
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Gerlinde
4/19/2019 10:04:54 pm
Thank you for the comment Gloria.
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Avocado on toast appears regularly at our breakfast bar, but I've never thought of putting minced preserved lemons on top. Something I'll be trying tomorrow morning. I also like to mix creamy goats cheese with ripe avocado and spread it on my toast. Thanks for the lovely post and enjoy Easter as well as your walk in the forest. Have a safe and wonderful journey.
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Gerlinde
4/16/2019 04:38:56 am
Creamy goat cheese with avocado sounds good. I have to try it. Happy Easter to you and your family Ron.
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LEMONS! My favorite fruit/food of all. I think if I could have only one 'food' - just one - I would choose a lemon. Your photos are gorgeous, as is your description of your lemon preserve. Oh, boy, I wish I lived near you. I'd come knocking on your door begging you to sell me a jar. You could go into business!
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Gerlinde
4/19/2019 10:16:08 pm
I love to give you a jar Pam if you are in the neighborhood. I am having a good time here in Germany visiting family and friends. Happy Easter to you und your family.
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Believe me, if I'm ever in your neighborhood I'll give you a heads up and see if we can meet 'in person." With one son in the SF Bay area, I always want to fly out, but time is difficult to find (and then he takes all my "time" with his 3 kids). But still. I hope to drive down to Santa Cruz at some point. By the way, your Easter cake inspired me when I made mine for our family. It wasn't a glorious lemon pound cake - it was devil's food with vanilla frosting and lots of jelly bean decoration on top - just like yours. :--) 4/8/2019 07:16:22 am
Gerlinde, my tastebuds are tingling! I hope to try making the preserved lemons some time soon. Safe travels and enjoy your time with your family. I know you will.
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Gerlinde
4/19/2019 10:21:16 pm
It’s been an interesting trip so far and I am having a good time . I am so thankful that I am still able to do this. Happy Easter to you and your family.
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Gerlinde
4/19/2019 10:22:57 pm
Myer lemons are the best , especially when they grow on your own tree.
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4/9/2019 04:50:46 am
I've seen preserved lemons in our high-end grocery stores, but I've never tried one. I'm intrigued now! I can see how these would be great to have on hand for all sorts of recipes. I hope you have a blast in Germany, and I can't wait to read more about the Maibowle tradition. That sounds like fun...plus, I've never heard of sweet woodruff until now.
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Gerlinde
4/19/2019 10:24:45 pm
Sweet woodruff makes a great syrup and you can sometimes find it in liquor stores.
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4/9/2019 05:35:33 am
What a splendid way to add flavor to the delicious and trendy avocado toast! Wishing you a fabulous trip!
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Gerlinde
4/19/2019 10:26:12 pm
My trip has been great so far. It’s good to be flexible when visiting my family.
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Gerlinde
4/20/2019 07:37:52 am
I am indulging in German breakfasts right now with cheese and ham on rolls. Happy Easter!
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4/10/2019 07:50:42 am
Have always wanted to try making preserved lemons and now that you have made it look so easy, we have no idea why we waited to give it a go. Super delicious and fresh idea to add the preserved lemons to your avocado toast. Brilliant. Hoping your week is fabulous.
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Gerlinde
4/20/2019 08:02:20 am
It would be fun to incorporate preserved lemons into some Asian dishes. Happy Easter!
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4/11/2019 08:47:45 am
I hope you are having a wonderful time in Germany. Being there for both Easter and the first of May celebrations will be great. I haven't made preserved lemons since we've moved to Florida...must make some soon.
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Gerlinde
4/21/2019 10:26:21 pm
I had a wonderful Easter holiday with my German family. Thank you for the comment.
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4/13/2019 12:39:50 pm
Oh, the Europeans know how to celebrate Easter and May Day! They sound like wonderful celebrations. Thank you for this post.
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Gerlinde
4/21/2019 10:27:59 pm
Mimi, Easter was great and I enjoyed being with my German family. I can’t wait for the first of May.
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4/16/2019 11:01:20 am
Liebe Gerlinde,
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Gerlinde
4/21/2019 10:40:29 pm
Ich hatte ein richtig schönes gemütliches Osterfest und das Osterfeuer war auch toll. Liebe Grüße
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4/23/2019 05:51:08 am
Gerlinde, I've never thought to put preserved lemon on my avocado toast. Can't wait to try it. Love the photos.
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Gerlinde
5/9/2019 10:43:03 am
I had a great trip Liz and now I am back. I will try some preserved lemons on my tuna salad.
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