Meyer Lemons

Try Meyer lemons!

Meyer lemons are a variety obtained by crossing lemons with mandarins/oranges. They're a bit sweeter and less acidic than regular lemons, with a slight mandarin aroma. The skin is thinner and finer, and when ripe it has an orange tint. The zest smells of lemon, orange, and subtle jasmine notes. They don't seem as elongated as regular lemons either - they're rounder. I found them much juicier too (I extracted a lot of juice from a single lemon).

They're used like regular lemons (in marinades, dressings, curds, cakes, etc.), the difference being in the flavor they give to dishes. I see them as especially suited for desserts: lemonades, curds (Meyer lemon cream macarons!), tarts, pound cakes, parfaits, and lemon cookies. I can't wait to use them in as many combinations as possible now that I've found them at our local grocery store.

Lemons keep well in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. For long-term storage, the zest can be preserved with sugar and the juice can be frozen.

First on the list is a quick lemonade!