How To Cook With Meyer Lemons

Babble|Jan. 26, 2012 3:23 pm EST

I remember having Meyer lemons for the first time. It was a few years ago at Mario Batali's restaurant, Carnevino, at the Palazzo hotel in Las Vegas. I had ordered the scallopine — tender veal cutlets sautéed with caperberries and preserved Meyer lemons (like the ones shown to the right from Brooklyn Supper). It was out of this world. Since then I've planted a little Meyer lemon tree in my backyard and have been anxiously awaiting for its first fruit. It hasn't happened yet.

Now, if you don't know what a Meyer lemon is or have never had one, it's basically a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. Meyer lemons are slightly sweeter than true lemons and less acidic in taste. You'll start to see them sold in stores in the winter, their peak season being between November and January, sometimes even a little later.

If you have Meyer lemons on hand and are at a loss of what to do with them, look no further. There are so many ways to incorporate their distinct taste into so many everyday dishes, from lemon risotto to pancakes to creamy cheesecake.

— aggieskitchen, Babble