Ask Betty: Lemons and Limes

Follow the top tips on tart and tangy, juicy lemons and limes:

• Room-temperature lemons and limes yield more juice.
• Before squeezing lemon or limess, roll the back and forth on the counter several times with firm pressure, which helps to burst the cells holding the juice.
• If you’re in a hurry and need to use straight from the fridge, zap whole lemons or limes in the microwave on High for about 20 seconds to warm them up.
• One medium lemon or lime should give you about 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice.
• You can freeze extra juice for up to several months. You might want to freeze in one-tablespoon quantities for easy use in recipes.  Small amounts thaw quickly.
• You will get about 1 tablespoon zest from an average lemon.
• Freeze extra zest in a resealable freezer bag for several months.
• If you will be using both the zest and juice, remove the zest before cutting and juicing the lemon or lime.