……Rejoice!
The Meyer lemon was introduced to the US from China in 1908. It is named after the agricultural explorer that gathered a clipping of what is thought to be a cross between a regular lemon and an orange tree.
How are they different from the common lemon? They tend to be on the smaller side, thinner and smoother skinned and more warm yellow than lemon in color. They are in season in February & March in Northern California.
What do we do with them? One of our favorite things is to preserve them for future use. Preserved lemon is a quintessential ingredient in Moroccan cuisine. And the soft, mashable, edible rind also works well with roasted chicken, chopped over charred broccolini or mixed into a vinaigrette. A good tip is to use them in places where you might use olives – they are salty, tart and fragrant and deliver a massive amount of flavor.
Easy recipe as follows: (use Approx. 2/3 cup salt for 2-3 pounds of lemons)
Meyer lemons also work beautifully in baked goods (poppy seed muffins, tarts, curds & trifles). And you can’t beat a homemade Meyer lemonade – virgin or spiked. Pass the vodka. Cheers!
