In Praise of Meyer Lemons

In previous posts, we’ve name-dropped the mighty Meyer Lemon at the slightest provocation, but it is our fear that mere passing mention may have failed to entice you to leap from your seat and immediately buy one; which is of course the only sane reaction to the arrival of these splendid fruits. So here goes, our most desperate and heartfelt plea.

Of all the "fancy" produce around these days, the Meyer Lemon is hands-down our favorite. It has smooth golden skin, orange-y flesh and less acidity than a normal lemon. Best of all, it smells of lemon and orange and flowers and thyme. It’s quite remarkable. Meyer Lemons were originally introduced to California from China in the early 20th century and they are the delightful result of human meddling, in this case crossing a regular lemon and (probably) a mandarin orange.

But like all truly special things, Meyer Lemons are only around for part of the year. Lucky for you, that happens to be right now.

To best enjoy the Meyer Lemon, simply use in any place you would use a regular lemon. It makes fantastic curd, is delicious on crêpes and its amazing aroma makes it especially good in savory dishes. We like to cut it in half and stuff it along with herbs and garlic into the cavity of our roast chicken. Meyer Lemon juice is lovely, but the peel, the peel is to die for. It should never be thrown away, but always zested or better yet candied. Candied peel can be saved for scones, cookies and just plain eating--we like it right out of the fridge still dripping in syrup. Directions for candying are after the break.

Meyer Lemons are slightly more expensive than regular lemons, and they’re worth it. Even if all you ever do with your lovely lemon is gently scratch the skin and breathe it all in.

To Candy the Peel: Halve and juice the lemon. Carefully peel out all of the remaining membranes and flesh; they should come off easily leaving the smooth white pith. In a small saucepan, cover the peels with water and bring just to a boil. Immediately drain water and cover again with cold water. Repeat 2-3 times total, until the peel has no lingering bitter taste. Set the peel aside and in the same saucepan, prepare a simple syrup. Combine one cup granulated sugar with one cup water and bring to a boil. Add peel and reduce heat. Simmer peel on low heat for 1-2 hours, until peel is tender and slightly translucent. Left in syrup, candied peel will keep in the fridge for several months.