Why did the Lemon Cross the Road?

Lemons make great ingredients. Slivered, squeezed or sliced. Sweet or savory, fresh or processed, lemons are popular. This weekend I found myself glancing between basketball commercials and a new blog I found that posts must-make recipes. Lemons. Check. Ricotta cheese. Check. Cookie weather. Check. 

Nearly three dozen perfectly baked, carefully-glazed-with-love cookies later, I discover a delicious new lemon ricotta cookie that is actually more like a tiny little cake that goes perfectly with an afternoon PG tips brew—and a home team victory. Nice.

I think of taking a small sample across the street to my neighbor who has a 15-year old lemon tree with juicy fruit weighing down the over-grown limbs. “Help yourself to the lemons whenever you want them,” she told my husband once. But I think twice about my idea because whenever I cross gingerly with empty pockets to take up the offer, I discover someone has beaten me to the punch, or to the lemons.