Lemon biography

Share: Photo: Gettyimages joked that during quarantine you can go on vacation perhaps to your own balcony? Well, I have an alternative. In the meantime, the reserves have not yet been used for its intended purpose, because they can be used, and museums are now also available only in the form of virtual presentations. And here everything can not only be seen, but also touch, smell and try.

Just do not forget to wash. After all, we will talk about fruits. If specifically - about lemons. Admit it, did you know that lemons in nature are not growing? That's right. These are only viruses appear on their own, without secret laboratories. And to create something useful, unfortunately, you have to make considerable efforts. So, lemon is most likely an artificially created hybrid.

Its "parents" are called the pre -trial detention center and citrins, also interesting citrus fruits, which, probably, must be discussed separately. However, they do not trade as zranians and citrines in a neighboring store, so in our home "museum" there are no such exhibits, unfortunately,. On occasion, we only recall that the pre -trial detention center is the worse than the lemon, and the citrines are more in size.

And crossing gave a compact and sour fruit, which we know as a lemon. The birthplace of lemon is called Indochina, or rather Northern Myanmar, or Indian Assam. From there, he got to China and further west - in Central Asia and Iran. Some researchers, struck by magnificent frescoes of Pompeii and African mosaics, claimed that lemons were also known to the Romans. But most likely, Roman artists were not depicted by lemons, but by the citrines already mentioned.

And it was precisely about Lemon that Pliny the Elder wrote in his "natural history." However, the citrines in the Roman Empire were not grown, but brought from distant edges - like a useful curiosity. It is interesting at the same time that in the citrines, as later and in lemons, not juicy flesh, but a sweet crust was considered a useful part of the fetus.

Fresh, grated and dried it was added to dishes as we add pepper or cinnamon. Therefore, there were first lemons and only then they began to savor them like fruits. Who did this first is unknown. But most likely the Persians or Arabs - after the large Arab conquests and the formation of the Muslim caliphate. Large changes in agriculture that took place during the reign of the Abbasid dynasty, with which the most famous for us was the Khalif Harun Ar-Rashid, already in our contemporaries was called the "Green Revolution".

But not because the Abbasids were Muslims, and the color of Islam was green. The Abbasids were just black. Green is the color of plants, many of which began to grow in the Middle East and in the Mediterranean at this time. And this applies not only to lemons, but also, say, sugarcane. It is not surprising that the 8th century, the time of the Green Revolution, is also dated to the invention of a mixture of lemon juice with sugar and water - what we call lemonade.

The Indians, of course, disagree with this and say that they mixed lemon juice with sugar much earlier. They call this drink a halo of pan. But you, say, heard something about him? Europeans, by the way, have their own legend about the origin of lemonade. He was allegedly invented by the forgetful vine of the Emperor Louis of the pious, the son of Charles the Great, who mixed up the barrels and instead of wine poured the owner of lemon juice.

However, I understood the mistake in time and managed to add water and sugar to it. I personally do not really believe in this legend. But if this is true, we are dealing with a “parallel invention” so to speak. Indeed, in Egypt, lemonade was drank a century earlier. Perhaps lemons in Western Europe were brought precisely during the time the already mentioned Garun Ar-Rashid. It is known that he gave Carl the Great Elephant.

If the elephant across the sea could be transported alive, then the packets with lemons of Emperor Franks Caliph could definitely convey. However, lemons to Western Europe were still taken, and not grown in place. In Europe, from them in those days could only crush the juice. No later than the 11th century, yellow fruits began to be grown in Sicily, and then in Spain.

However, both the first and second at that time were under the rule of Muslims. Then, of course, Christians conquered them - along with lemon trees. And only then they learned to grow lemons to the north. The first mention of them in Genoa is dated as a 15th century. Christopher Columbus, as you know, was precisely the Genoese. And it was he who brought lemons to the New World.

Although he himself believed until the end of his life that he sailed to India. Surprisingly, if you recall that it was India that was considered the birthplace of Limonov. What is the point of taking there what was in it? However, it soon became clear that travelers should take lemons with them not only for the spread of this culture by the world. Indeed, in the days of great geographical discoveries, navigators faced a terrible disease - scurvy.

And persistently searched for medicines from her. And of course, they could not invent vitamins at the then level of science. The fact that rich in vitamin C helps sailors was installed rather experimentally. In the year.True, convincing the sailors to chew this "lordly kislyatin" was not easy. But the result was really brilliant - and since then the lemons entered the sea diet forever.

And lemons should be grateful to their appearance, probably many people remember that the American “goat of the nostra” rose thanks to the “dry law”. But her Sicilian mother was born from the gangs of racketeers who terrorized local peasants who grew lemons for sale. Including in America. It was only then that the mafia took possession of the adjacent industries and came up with a “romantic” biography, rising almost the 13th century.

It is interesting that in the famous fairy tale, Gianni Rodari, in which vegetables with fruits lead a life very similar to the Sicilian early 20th century, when, in fact, the mafia was born, it is Prince Lemon that occupies an honorable place in the camp of "Evil Forces", which is opposed to the usual workers in the head of Chipollino.

In the production of lemons, Italy has long been a real world leader, and only in recent decades the championship of India and Mexico lost. However, the liquor, infused with lemon crusts, is Limonchello - and is now one of the most favorite strong drinks of Italians. Maybe you have a bottle of this solar drink in your kitchen? And if not, you can just make yourself tea with lemon and just watch from your home "museum" to snow the quarantine for the window with benefit.

For relaxation. Gaining new knowledge. And the gain of forces for new achievements. Bon appetit!