Meyer Lemon

The delicate, orange like flavor of Meyer lemons is what sets this mellow lemonade apart. For a cocktail version, spike the punch bowl with a glug or two of Jack Daniel’s.

The joy of a chopped salad is that there is no need to compose each forkful to make sure you have the perfect bite—every uniformly sized morsel is already tossed and mixed together for a whole plate full of perfect bites. Green, almost grassy in flavor, asparagus is one of spring’s delights. Grilling enhances its flavor and imparts a pleasant bit of char to the salad. Briny olives, sharp cheddar cheese, and tender chickpeas add substance to the mix, while crispy bits of fried pita bread lend a salty crunch and additional texture. (We make our own pita chips at the restaurant, and the directions to do so are here, but you could certainly skip this step and use crumbles of your favorite bagged pita chips instead.) Slightly sweet, slightly tart, definitely delicious, this Meyer lemon dressing pops with whole grain mustard, lemon zest, and honey.

This salad is a refreshing choice for an elegant lunch on a summer day. Succulent crab, creamy cubes of avocado, salty olives, and sweet grape tomatoes are folded into a mixture of cool mayonnaise and bright red wine vinegar. Cayenne pepper and Spanish paprika add a touch of heat and depth to the mix. Mesclun greens tossed in a sunny Meyer lemon dressing make the crab salad’s bed. Sweet blue crabs are found in the waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. Their silky texture and rich taste make them my crab of choice—no matter from where a dish’s inspiration may come.

This is the basic procedure for making any fruit chutney. Non-citrus fruits such as peaches, plums, apricots, and mangoes will need to be peeled. Use any citrus fruit combination for this recipe, although you may need to adjust the sweetness for more tart varieties like grapefruit. I chose kumquats and Meyer lemons because I like their contrasting shapes and colors, and both are naturally quite sweet.

There were quite a few things I missed about the Bay Area when I packed up my bags and moved to France. Burritos, bean-to-bar chocolates, and “centered” people were some of them. Okay, I didn’t miss the centered people. But I was surprised at how much I missed Meyer lemons, which are sweeter and more perfumed than regular Eureka lemons. Their vibrant, deep yellow color makes other lemons pale in comparison. If you’re lucky enough to know someone with a Meyer lemon tree, you’re likely to be handed a large sack of them when the fruits are in season. Some greengrocers and specialty markets now carry them, too. Otherwise, you can use regular Eureka lemons in this recipe, but increase the sugar to 1 cup (200 g).

Like magic, this lemon pudding cake separates into two layers during baking: an airy and soufflé-like cake on top, and a soft lemony curd below. In truth, the first time I ate it I was convinced it was a cake and pudding recipe combined. This foolproof recipe is the perfect summer sweet, served simply with fresh berries and whipped cream. For the creamiest texture, it is important to bake the cake in a water bath. The hot water protects the cake from cooking too quickly, keeping the pudding super supple.

All right, pull the Stepford Wife ensemble out of mothballs and apply your signature color lipstick: It’s photo time! While the still-life aesthetic of this cupcake is its own reward, I swear on my highlights that the taste surpasses its beauty. Make sure to avoid overchopping your cherry chunks, and try for a nice, thick lemon zest—the added texture pairs neatly with the creamy frosting.

There are so many uses for this preserve, which captures the zing of the citrus. Chop it up and use it as a garnish for sweet sorbets or as a marmalade on buttered Brioche (page 194). Or wrap a strawberry or a piece of melon with a slice of this lemon, stick a toothpick through it, and you’ve got a fruit canapé. I’m not giving a yield or amounts here, because you can make as much of this classic preserve as you wish. If they’re in season, Meyer lemons are what you want.

The intriguing lemony/orangey flavor of Meyer lemons is so refreshing; this sorbet captures the fruit’s essence and perfume. The Salt Butter Shortbread (page 202) is great with it, but, really, this sorbet needs no accompaniment.

Chocolate and lemon make an age-old combination; the tartness of lemon enhances the acidity of the cacao bean and cuts the fatty mouth feel. Meyer lemons have a short window of availability, and they’re coveted for their lemony-orangey flavor—which is particularly good when paired with chocolate. They’re versatile, with as many uses in the savory kitchen as in the pastry kitchen.

This burger could turn anyone into a West Coast convert with just one bite. Northern California’s gorgeous Napa Valley is home to more than vineyards; it also produces some great local goat cheese and the Meyer lemon. Intriguingly sweet and far more mellow than the standard variety, Meyer lemons are a wonderful treat. Their season is short, however, and they can also be prohibitively expensive. But I still love that flavor and have found that I can replicate it with a mixture of fresh lemon and orange juices. The Meyer lemon–honey mustard is fresh and bright, not cloying. Its sweet note is a great counterpoint to the tangy goat cheese and crunchy, peppery watercress.

This is one of our favorite meals. The hardest part is waiting for the chicken to finish resting before we dig in. We love the slightly bitter sweetness of broccoli rabe, although if you prefer you could substitute broccoli or cauliflower. And really, the best part of this preparation is the amount of crispy chicken skin; because the bird is roasted flat, all the skin renders and crisps, which makes for an all-around better chicken.

Meyer lemons are believed to be a cross between the Mandarin orange and the common lemon. They are available seasonally and have a delicate floral aroma and less acidic juice than common Eureka lemons. Here we make a traditional lemon curd and then thin it to make the ice cream base. If you want to use just the curd, simply eliminate the milk. We use it to balance the richness of the curd and produce a smooth, creamy ice cream that is not overly heavy on the palate. The bright Meyer lemon flavor really makes this a standout.

This versatile salsa also pairs well with scallops or roast fish.

Meyer lemons, a cross between lemons and oranges, start to ripen in November. They add a deliciously fragrant sweet-and-sour note to this cocktail.

Specialty foods stores, Trader Joe's, and some supermarkets carry dried blueberries.

A pat of the slightly tangy butter is tucked into the center of each beef patty. As the burger cooks, the butter melts, giving the meat an extra-tender texture and a hit of citrusy flavor.

This sweet-tart compote is made up of cooked kumquat and lemon slices and fresh blood orange segments. This recipe is an accompaniment for the Meyer Lemon Shortcakes with Meyer Curd and Mixed Citrus "Marmelade".