From the Garden // Meyer Lemons

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A friend of mine gave me a huge bag of Meyer lemons that were exploding off his tree this season. Anything with Meyer lemons that you find in restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops, or markets always costs an arm and a leg for some reason, so I thought I'd take advantage with the 30+ lemons I got. 

The most distinct visual difference with a Meyer lemon compared to a "regular" lemon, is the texture of rind. The Meyer's rind is very smooth, almost shiny; it's not at all bumpy like its more popular cousin. The color is also very saturated - a perfect sunny yellow that is usually even all around with little or no green (and definitely no white/brown spots!). Plus, Meyers are a tad bit smaller and more petite.

The flavor is very distinct, not like any other lemon we are all familiar with. It is not as citrus-y in the traditional sense, but more tangy; you can really taste the flavor of the Meyer lemon blossom and the essence of the leaves in both the juice and the rind. It is very floral and fragrant and should be used sparingly because the flavor is so potent. I had these in a bag in my kitchen and it actually smelled like I had a big bouquet of lemon blossoms in a vase. 

I attempted to make an Meyer lemon sorbet with just the rind, the juice, and sugar - the result was one puckery, sour, eye-watering, lip smacking dessert!! It really needed to be diluted with either a cream or another fruit. The rind, however, can be used in just about anything - from a pasta to a pie crust. The flavor used by the rind is a bit easier to control, zesting with a microplane zester or slicing off a bit of the rind (minus the white pith) and using it for preserves, drinks, dressings, sauces, and just about anything. Remember, a little goes a very long way with these lemons!