“Citrus x Meyeri, the Meyer lemon, is a citrus fruit native to China thought to be across between a true lemon and either a mandarine or common orange. It was introduced to the United States in 1908 by the agricultural explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer. The Meyer lemon fruit is yellow and rounder than a true lemon…sweeter and less acidic than the common supermarket lemon varieties”. en.m.wikipedia.org

Amazing, the thought of being a “agricultural  exployer”. This gyspy would have liked that job. Traveleling around the world finding new edible plants…fruits, vegetables, spices! What fun! Today, though, we focus on the Meyer lemons that are grown in states like California and Florida. Some friends of my daughter have a large tree in their backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona. During  my visit to my daughter in December I discovered this tree and asked (very kindly, of course) if I could take a few home. They traveled back to the Lowcountry, in none other than my tennis bag. Within days of my arrival I had given most of them away. Who knew so many home cooks coveted this beautiful little yellow fruit? 

On a more recent trip I visited that same tree and carried about a dozen more home. It’s the end of the season, at least in Arizona, but I was able to bring home some nearly perfect specimens. Before I gave them all away I decided to use a few myself. After several searches on-line I decided to try recipes for the following: a cake, a pie and a soufflé. 

The cake recipe I tried was described as “the best Meyer lemon cake”. Working out of my little gyspy kitchen, with very limited kitchen tools, I was able to somewhat replicate the recipe.  It was lemony, but not sweet. More like a quick bread than a cake.  Instead of the almonds called for in the recipe, I used pecans instead; afterall I am in the southeast, when pecans are locally grown, about 4 hours from here in the state of Georgia.