Lemons

[Billions 687]

Are fresh lemons easily available in Pttya? I am on a new diet which means starting the day with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice diluted with cold water. I remember trying to find them in Foodland in Bkk a couple of years ago,and kept getting shown limes ( I think they share the same word in Thai).Its not lemon juice I want,but the actual lemon. I know they should be available,but where exactly? Thanks. Otherwise I'll have to pack a dozen in my luggage.....

[js007 795]

Are fresh lemons easily available in Pttya? I am on a new diet which means starting the day with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice diluted with cold water. I remember trying to find them in Foodland in Bkk a couple of years ago,and kept getting shown limes ( I think they share the same word in Thai).Its not lemon juice I want,but the actual lemon. I know they should be available,but where exactly? Thanks. Otherwise I'll have to pack a dozen in my luggage.....

 

From what I can tell, they're not easily available. For example, you sit in a bar and order a San Miguel Light. The waitress asks if you want it with a "lemon." You say yes, and when it comes, it's with a lime. I'm not sure I've ever seen a lemon in Thailand. Maybe you should try a lime diet?

[wobbly_1 18]

I have been told by a chef Asia does not have lemons - thats why you see lime's - their equivalent

[123rljohnson 0]

Central Festival market on the ground floor has lemons.

[LocalYokul 214]

Have you tried LIME juice ?, it doesn't taste that much different from Lemon.

[jacko 8,813]

Are fresh lemons easily available in Pttya? I am on a new diet which means starting the day with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice diluted with cold water. I remember trying to find them in Foodland in Bkk a couple of years ago,and kept getting shown limes ( I think they share the same word in Thai).Its not lemon juice I want,but the actual lemon. I know they should be available,but where exactly? Thanks. Otherwise I'll have to pack a dozen in my luggage.....

No, what you are calling limes is what is used in Thailand and I have not seen lemons. A bit surprising as lemons were common in many countries I have visited and I had a few lemon trees which produced a lot of fruit. I don't really see why watered down lime juice would be much different than watered down lemon juice for your diet. How about some Robinson's .....

[Guest Fatboyfat]

I've always thought that although they look like limes, they taste like lemons in Thailand. I really love a fresh Lime juice over in South America, but it tastes nothing like a "Nam Manao" here.

[MM 6,562]

FLB used to serve real lemon slices with some drinks, e.g. gin tonics, but we had a bit of trouble keeping stocked with fresh lemons. They are unusually found in farang friendly markets...Foodland, Friendship, Villa.

[Gary 4,119]

I have heard from a fairly reliable source that an Issan farang had many actual yellow lemon trees and they did quite well. He didn't have enough of them to sell commercially but he did try to sell them in the fresh markets. The Thais wouldn't buy them. He gave up on the project.

[Idefix 2,275]

Are fresh lemons easily available in Pttya?

 

Just curious, but why lemons?

Ok, I know lemons and limes are 2 differents fruits, but they are 2 very similar fruits too with similar usage.

So why "yellow lemon" ?

 

Nota: In south European countries we don't even have 2 names for them: just "lemon" and "green lemon"

PS: 10 limes (small) for 20 baht at Soi Buakhao market yesterday

Edited July 18, 2012 by Idefix

[VPI78 11,496]

Actually, there are lemon trees in Asia. We have a 5-rai grove of a Thai lemon tree that the wife calls "Lam" trees that produce a Thai lemon that starts off green but ripens to yellow. The Thais make it into soap, shampoo ... and it makes a great natural lemon scented air freshener.

 

Here is a picture of one of the dozens of bushels of the little fellows we have been picking off the ground since May. If there is any interest I'll post more pictures later of those trees and the nearby Tamarind grove we harvest. But now off to pick more of those lemons that don't exist in Thailand apparently according to some chefs.

 

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Here is a picture of one of the dozens of bushels of the little fellows we have been picking off the ground since May.

 

The lumpy-skinned fruits in your pic look like what are usually called kafir (sometimes kaffir or kefir) limes, the leaves and rind of which are widely used in Thai cooking. The juice is considered to be too sour and acidic to be used as an ingredient in food, but is often added to cleansers and shampoos for the citrus-scent effect you noted.

 

This isn't my pic, found on the Net:

 

Evil

[VPI78 11,496]

That is more like them EP but the old guy that planted many of the fruit trees in this area of Erawan (at one time he owned or controlled over 20,000 rai) grafted many of the trees he planted with European and other varieties. He did the same with the Tamarind grove grafting Thai plants with Indian plants. Some of those trees are massive today and when they die are prized up here to make charcoal.

 

He is a neat old guy, almost 90 years old now and spent 10 years in India as a Buddhist monk. These blended fruit make great smoothies and aren't that sour. I add slices to ice tea. But they make better shampoo and air freshner. If you detect a lemon scented farang farmer at FLB or Secrets one day that's probably me.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

That is more like them EP but the old guy that planted many of the fruit trees in this area of Erawan (at one time he owned or controlled over 20,000 rai) grafted many of the trees he planted with European and other varieties.

 

That's a characteristic of citrus fruit: they are are easy to hybridize. The U of California has an experimental farm devoted to developing new or improved citrus fruits.

 

Evil

[Patna 3,802]

Just curious, but why lemons?

Ok, I know lemons and limes are 2 differents fruits, but they are 2 very similar fruits too with similar usage.

So why "yellow lemon" ?

Nota: In south European countries we don't even have 2 names for them: just "lemon" and "green lemon"

PS: 10 limes (small) for 20 baht at Soi Buakhao market yesterday

Because lime and lemon greatly differ in taste. I'm a serious fish eater but need to have lemon with it. In Thailand you always have to ask them to bring some and learned to live with the fact that to the Thais lemon=lime. I can live with that but would much prefer yellow lemon. Now, in drinks like lemonade or tea the difference between lemon and lime is day and night. I was also much surprised that there are hardly any lemon trees in the South of France while in Greece and Spain they're are plentyful. I don't like the smell of kaffir lemon because it reminds me to the urinals in Thailand where they like to use it as a piss-smell breakdown tool with more or less success.

[bangkapiboy 5]

I think the green limes will do just as well for your diet, actually.

[jacko 8,813]

I think the green limes will do just as well for your diet, actually.

Yes a few people have said that........

One has to adapt slightly in Thailand, LIMES in the gin and tonic, and chilli sauce with steamed fish....

Now I think a G&T is better that way.

[atlas2 4,329]

Well there you are! A lot of helpful board members who really know their lemons. Just curious as to why you've chosen to start your diet in Pattaya most people don't treat the place as a health spar....... Well not on holiday anyway . Unless you're hearing the word 'morbidly' a lot I'd put the lemon thing off until you get home.

[Billions 687]

Well there you are! A lot of helpful board members who really know their lemons. Just curious as to why you've chosen to start your diet in Pattaya most people don't treat the place as a health spar....... Well not on holiday anyway . Unless you're hearing the word 'morbidly' a lot I'd put the lemon thing off until you get home.

 

Yep,very helpful. I saw my daughter carrying a bag of lemons last week,asked her why and she went off rattling about the health benefits,so thought I'd give it a whirl. Had a few in the UK and thought I'd keep it going in Thailand. I arrived in Bangkok this morning,so will float over to Foodland and check the shelves there,then might venture forth to Klong Toey and see if there's anyone hawking them there between the buckets of turtles,the frogs being mutilated and the fine displays of pigs heads which adorn many a table top. Otherwise I'll concede and buy a bag of limes as my best option.

[erik_e 0]

Villa Market Second Road (the avenue) has them. But expensive, around 30 baht a piece. This must be a good business idea for Thai farmers.

[JohnLogieBaird 1]

I use lemon juice every day here in Scotland but I get it from a bottle of concentrated lemon juice. Maybe you can get this in Thailand?

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I use lemon juice every day here in Scotland but I get it from a bottle of concentrated lemon juice. Maybe you can get this in Thailand?

 

Jacko has already highlighted Robinsons - available in Tops and, I assume, most farang orientated supermarkets.

[Gary 4,119]

To my taste buds, there is a big difference between lemons and limes. I don't really like limeade but I love lemonade. I do prefer lime juice in a gin tonic.

[JohnLogieBaird 1]

Jacko has already highlighted Robinsons - available in Tops and, I assume, most farang orientated supermarkets.

I am aware of that. Just pointing out that concentrated juice is what I use. I would doubt that the Robinsons stuff is as pure or healthy.

[jacko 8,813]

I use lemon juice every day here in Scotland but I get it from a bottle of concentrated lemon juice. Maybe you can get this in Thailand?

Yes quite easily.

Not just the Robinson's stuff, but lemon juice is available in small plastic bottles.

Edited July 20, 2012 by jacko