Got Lemons?

We sure do -- to the tune of about 500.  Through absolutely no effort of my own, our Meyer lemon tree put out a bumper crop this year. 

I had never heard of a Meyer lemon before we moved to California 15 years ago.  While widely available here, I don't think they are exported much to the rest of the country.  They are thought to be a cross between a true lemon and a Mandarin orange.  I believe it because the fruit is big and beautiful while the juice is sweeter and less acidic than a traditional lemon.

Just picking the lemons took me about two hours.  But now what to do with them?  I immediately made Lemon Bars, an annual lemon harvest tradition. 

That took care of about 10 lemons.  (I leave out the limes when I make them with our lemons.)  Only 490 left to go!

Next up:  lemonade.  With the promise of fresh lemonade as a reward, I had an enthusiastic and quite skilled assistant on the lemon press.

    

No one has been allowed to leave this house this week without a bag of lemons.  I took them to neighbors.  To the school (the teacher wants to make lemonade on Valentines Day.)  I sent some to the hubby's office.  And still I had two full bags left.

So today we pressed the rest and I froze it in one cup quantities in freezer bags.  Better than frozen concetrate -- homemade lemonade all year round! 

Comments

[Mary c]

Holy Moly! YOu have a lemon press?
I love lemons. Maybe we should get a Meyer Lemon tree.
We have a lime tree. The freeze last year almost killed it but it's coming back now. It's a dwarf so not as much fruit as you.
Too bad I don't live closer. I would have taken a bag 'off your hands'.

[Elizabeth R.]

Hi Hope, I love the pictures of these gorgeous lemons. Gosh had I visited your blog back then I would have sprung for 2 day shipping to take a box from you. Michael FAVORITE drink is lemonade. Anyway I wanted you to know I was here!
E~

[April Driggers]

Man, I would love to have a fruit bearing tree but I fear our wonderful Texas summers would kill ANYTHING! One of these days... if nothing else, a giant pecan tree in the back yard would be great! :) I can dream, can't I?