It’s winter here, and the branches of our Meyer lemon tree drip with fruit. This is what it looks like after it’s already been picked, many many times. Paper shopping bags filled with lemons. A plastic cooler stuffed with lemons. Van Gogh said yellow is the color of joy, and so it must be a very joyful time in our house. It must.
Oh I wish I could swing by and pick some up! Question— has she tried preserving the meyer lemons (in salt) with bay leaves and black peppercorns? I bet she has... or something similar. I did that a few years back, kept them in the fridge for half a year... then I made pesto (both pine nut and pistachio) and added the preserved lemon rinds to the pesto. It was the BEST pesto we've ever had. All three of us agreed. I made it again this year and I think I'll probably make it every year from here on out. But it tastes way better with home made preserved lemons, the store bought ones have a less fresh flavor.
I'm always so jealous when I hear about people with citrus trees (or avocado trees, or mango trees) in their yards. We do have cherries and (state-appropriate) blueberries, but they are each ripe for about a week, and we don't get THAT much. We don't get can-them quantities. More like enjoy-on-your-oatmeal quantities. This is all to say: I spent the morning shoveling snow, am currently wearing a hat indoors, and I envy you your lemons.
Our lemon craze actually started with a mint craze — a wild mint plant was overflowing in our neughborhood so we grabbed a bunch and then we were like… what the heck do we do with all this mint? We discovered a mint lemonade recipe and that’s when the lemon craze began. If I lived near you, I’d do a mint-lemon swap for sure.
Oh! I wish I did live nearby. I would even bring my own bags. Alas. I am far away, but I love lemons and understand your wife's wish not to waste them.
Oh I wish I could swing by and pick some up! Question— has she tried preserving the meyer lemons (in salt) with bay leaves and black peppercorns? I bet she has... or something similar. I did that a few years back, kept them in the fridge for half a year... then I made pesto (both pine nut and pistachio) and added the preserved lemon rinds to the pesto. It was the BEST pesto we've ever had. All three of us agreed. I made it again this year and I think I'll probably make it every year from here on out. But it tastes way better with home made preserved lemons, the store bought ones have a less fresh flavor.
I'm always so jealous when I hear about people with citrus trees (or avocado trees, or mango trees) in their yards. We do have cherries and (state-appropriate) blueberries, but they are each ripe for about a week, and we don't get THAT much. We don't get can-them quantities. More like enjoy-on-your-oatmeal quantities. This is all to say: I spent the morning shoveling snow, am currently wearing a hat indoors, and I envy you your lemons.
I am comforted that you and yours are fully protected from scurvy. Book that pirate ship adventure now!
Our lemon craze actually started with a mint craze — a wild mint plant was overflowing in our neughborhood so we grabbed a bunch and then we were like… what the heck do we do with all this mint? We discovered a mint lemonade recipe and that’s when the lemon craze began. If I lived near you, I’d do a mint-lemon swap for sure.
I will pay you good money to ship me some of your wife’s concoctions.
I'm jealous as our Meyer Lemon tree didn't produce this year as it got hit hard by a bad freeze. Enjoy drowning in your lemons.
Wow!!! I must pick up a jar when I visit in March!! This looks like heaven
Oh! I wish I did live nearby. I would even bring my own bags. Alas. I am far away, but I love lemons and understand your wife's wish not to waste them.
I can’t really put into words how much I enjoyed this little story. 😂