Black Lemon

Besides being one of the most interesting looking spices you can have in your stash, it offers a completely unique flavor to dishes that can't be easily replicated with stand-ins. Black lemons are actually whole sun-dried limes and can range in color from tan to almost black, with the darker varieties offering a more pungent depth of flavor. The flavor imparted to a dish is somewhat sweet-tart, but with pleasant fermented note.

To use a black lemon, pierce a few holes in it and add it whole to stews, soups, or rice dishes. Remove the black lemon before serving, but don't skip squeezing all of the liquid from it into the dish before discarding. Black lemons can also be ground and used to make a lemon pepper spice mix that is nice as a rub for chicken or fish.