Cross-cultural communication （125）　

125) Lemons: Great supporting actors?
In Japan, there are citrus fruits that don't play the leading role, like sudachi from Tokushima or kabosu from Oita, but they do play supporting roles in cooking. But globally, lemons are probably the strongest supporting actors in cooking. In this article, we will tell you some episodes surrounding lemons.

This is a story I heard from a brilliant doctor who graduated from the medical school I attended, studied abroad in the US, and gained experience in clinical practice and research at a hospital affiliated with Harvard University. There are many talented doctors from all over the world studying at Harvard. The French doctor he met there was proud of his gourmet tastes, and for some reason he was very particular about lemons. “Lemons have to be from the Mediterranean to bring out the best in the food. Lemons from California or Arizona just don't cut it,” was his theory. One day, my senior had the opportunity to have dinner with the French doctor at a stylish French restaurant in Boston. The atmosphere of the restaurant was good, and the food was delicious. Of course, the lemon came with the salad and fish dish. The French doctor was in a good mood and said, “The lemon here is really delicious. It must be directly imported from France. Is it from Corsica?” My senior colleague was not at all interested in where the lemons came from, and thought that if he said that, then that must be the case. When my senior colleague left the table to use the toilet, he saw a wooden box containing lemons in a corner of the hallway. The box had the words 'Sunkist' on it, which you can see everywhere in America. When my senior returned to his seat, the French doctor took his turn to go to the toilet. Naturally, he must have seen the Sunkist crate too. He didn't bring up the subject of lemons again when he returned to the table.

This is a conversation that took place at a used car shop in America. The owner of the shop said, “We don't handle lemons here, so please don't worry.” It's only natural that a used car shop wouldn't handle citrus fruits like lemons. The word 'lemon' here refers to a defective car. The term is said to have come about because even if a car looks shiny and yellow from the outside, you can't tell what's inside. In fact, when I bought a used car in America a long time ago, I remember fellow resident doctors telling me to “watch out for lemons”.

Even in the cafeteria at the hospital in Brooklyn, there were standard lemon-related menu items such as lemon cake and lemonade. After all, lemons are great supporting actors.

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