RE: Meyer Lemons

I was so intrigued by your comments on Meyer Lemon that I could hardly
wait to get home and look at my copy of David Fairchild's "The World Was
My Garden," since Fairchild was Frank Meyer's employer at USDA in those
early years.  I was a little disappointed to see he mentions the lemon
only as "Meyer's dwarf lemon from Peking," saying it was doing well in
the U.S. What I really wanted to find out was if he mentioned exactly what
time of the year and how Meyer found the lemon growing.  You noted in the
courtyard of a monastery near Peking, so I take it Meyer saw it in warm
weather and in a pot (since winter in Beijing and its environs have more
in common with Minneaplis than with, say, Stockton).  Do you know what
the difference is between "the original" Meyer Lemon (such as Logee's
offers) and Raintree's "Improved" Meyer Lemon?   


On Mon, 20 Sep 1999, Mize, Mk (Kurt), NNO wrote:

> Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 01:43:40 -0500
> From: "Mize, Mk (Kurt), NNO" <mmize@att.com>
> To: 'Schmiege' <schmiege@otenet.gr>
> Cc: "'medit-plants@ucdavis.edu'" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: 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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