You Need a Desk Lemon

I never managed to master the desk lunch when I worked in an office. No matter what I packed, the meal felt joyless and utilitarian under the fluorescent lights. Beyond the lighting, and lack of windows, the main issue I ran into is that no matter what I packed — salad, sandwich, or bowl — the fresh flavours always tasted a little muted. But even the saddest work lunch can be perked up al desk-o — all you need is a desk lemon.

A desk lemon, you might have guessed, is a lemon you keep in your desk. Unpeeled lemons do quite well without any refrigeration, so you can bring a few in on Monday and use them up throughout the week. You’ll also need a small knife of some kind and — if you want to get real fancy with it — a mini microplane. (The latter may get you slightly teased by your officemates, depending on the office culture.)

Once you have a desk lemon, I think you’ll find multiple ways for it to brighten your day. For example:

• Start your day with a cup of hot tea (or hot water) with a fresh squeeze of lemon.
• Perk up your tuna, chicken, or pasta salad with a squeeze of juice and pinch of zest (if you go the microplane route).
• Harness the power of two acids by squeezing fresh lemon juice on your salad.
• Punch up a sad take-out grilled chicken sandwich or chicken Caesar wrap.
• Add a bit of brightness to a bland fruit salad.

If, as you near the end of the workday, you find yourself with a good amount of lemon left, just slice it up and plunk it in your water bottle. I don’t know about you, but I’m much more likely to drink water if tastes like something, especially if that something is a fresh and juicy lemon.