RE: Meyer Lemons

Lorraine wrote:

<Please send that lemon recipe.  The Meyer lemon , can it take freezing
weather?  I have a lime tree which is on a South wall and I cover it with
plastic during the winter as it sometimes snows.  We usually only go down to
hovering around freezing, but sometimes it freezes ice . Daytimes can go as
high as the 60's here in Greece.  We are above Athens.  On the coast they
grow citrus everywhere.>

Lorraine:

If you are able to obtain this cultivar, I don't think you will be
disappointed.  The fruit is uniquely fragrant, and is sweeter, when ripe,
than "true" lemons.  Of unknown parentage, the Meyer lemon is thought to be
a hybrid between a true lemon and a sweet orange or mandarin.  It is named
for Frank Meyer, a plant explorer for the US Department of Agriculture in
the early years of this century.  Meyer discovered the original plant
growing in the courtyard of a monastery near Peking, and it was introduced
into the US in 1908.  In the US today, most are grown in California's
Central Valley, south of Fresno and in the Sacramento Valley. A few growers
in northern San Diego County sell mainly to organic and farmers' markets.
They're also grown in Texas and Florida. Peak season in most areas is
November, December, and January, but can extend to April. In mild climates,
it is ever-blooming, so you can have fruit of all ages on the tree at once.
It is wonderful for lemonade, lemon-meringue pie, or any of the other things
for which you might use lemons, and it makes a beautiful and delicious,
golden-colored marmalade.  It is among the cold-hardiest of citrus.  Much
more so than any of the limes.  I think it is just above the Kumquat in
hardiness.  I would also cover a Meyer Lemon, though, if I were expecting
snow.  Freezing weather will damage the fruit, and may harm the newest
growth, but the plant should come back strongly in the spring.  I find that
most citrus trees seem to languish for the first 2 or 3 years after
planting, until they become established, but then they really take off.  I'm
not too familiar with your climate, but my impression of Greece is that it
is pretty dry.  My trees like plenty of water.  I soak them well once or
twice a week in hot weather (which means all through the summer, here), and
also in winter if we are expecting a freeze, as they seem to sustain more
frost damage if they are desiccated.  I have had several requests for the
marmalade recipe, so I guess I'll have to scrounge around in my recipe books
and will post it to the group as soon as I find it.

Regards,

Kurt Mize
Stockton, California
USDA Zone 9 




Lorraine Schmiege
-----Original Message-----
From: Mize, Mk (Kurt), NNO <mmize@att.com>
To: 'medit-plants@ucdavis.edu' <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Friday, September 17, 1999 12:24 AM
Subject: Meyer Lemons


>Moira wrote:
>
><As Tony mentioned it is exceptionally hardy and is the only citrus apart
>from the Meyer lemon which suits the climate of our fairly cool garden up
in
>the hills.>
>
>I have a wonderful recipe for Meyer lemon marmalade.  They honestly make
the
>best marmalade I've ever tasted.  I'll have to look it up if anyone is
>interested.
>
><however, we would have virtually no Hispanics.>
>
>I would die from Mexican food withdrawal!  We eat it several days a week,
>and when we don't go out for it, we prepare it ourselves.  I know I may be
>slightly prejudiced, but I think California Mexican food is the best
>anywhere.  You can keep your Tex-Mex.  Some of the big chains (Chili's,
>Chevy's, El Torito, etc.) do all right, but they still can't compare with
>the little, hole-in-the-wall, family-run restaurants that serve genuine,
>down-home Mexican food, that you can find in just about any city in
>California.  It's making me hungry just thinking about it!
>
>Which we reminds me of an amusing anecdote.  I was visiting a friend in
>Atlanta, Georgia, once (a city with a small Hispanic population).  We were
>making lunch plans, and I told her I was hungry for Mexican food, so she
>said she'd take me to the best Mexican restaurant in town.  When I ordered
>Huevos Rancheros, the (non-Hispanic) waitress asked me, "Would you like
that
>with eggs?"!  I thought I'd die laughing!
>
>Kurt Mize
>Stockton, California
>USDA Zone 9
>
>
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