Plant Potential: Mélanie Masarin - Lemon
LEMON
In this series, we spotlight the boundless potential of a single ingredient.
Los Angeles-based founder and CEO of Ghia, a non-alcoholic aperitif with the purpose of changing the way we drink, gather, and think, Mélanie Masarin has crafted a soothing lemon-infused elixir. Mélanie puts lemon in everything. She’s a fan of canarino—hot lemon in water, which she drinks every morning and evening to help with digestion.
Chef: Mélanie Masarin
Instagram: @melaniemasarin / @drinkghia
3 go-to ingredients that double as immunity: Thyme, lemon, and honey
Must-have ingredient that delivers an energy boost: Coffee—though I have big dreams to wean myself off it—water, and bananas.
Ultimate comfort food: Pasta! I love making it from scratch and was recently gifted a custom drying rack inspired by post-modern design.
Favorite healing ingredient: I always make large batches of bone and veggie scrap broth after roasting a chicken and then freeze it to always have on hand. I use it in soup or just with ginger and lemon to sip on if I’m tired or need a little pick me up. It’s so good for you!
Beauty mantra: Keep it simple, but be consistent. I personally am all about having just a few simple rituals, but being consistent with them. Whether it’s with diet, sleep, exercise, or your skincare routine, when you are able to maintain your routine, it keeps you feeling like you are not letting yourself down even when you have very little time.
CURED LEMON WATER
Lemon in everything! I cure them in large batches when they’re in season and use them in cooked meats, beans, and I use the acid and sweet juice as a sweetener in my spritzes. I slow dry them in the oven to use as garnish.
Cured lemons: first cut a handful of untreated, organic lemons. Make sure the slices are fairly thin. Next, cover the bottom of the glass with a layer of salt, then place a layer of lemons on top. Keep layering the salt then lemons on top of each other until you’ve packed it to the top of the jar. The key is to make sure that it is packed tightly so that the whole jar and lemons are soaked in salty lemon juice. Once it’s packed to the top, seal the jar and let it sit at room temperature for a few weeks.
*Pro-tip: use the juice of the cured lemons as sweetener in your Ghia spritzes—there’s nothing like those natural fruit sugars to round out flavors!
