Friday Favorite: Pucker Up for Free Lemons
I’m a big fan of all things lemon, always have been. When I was a little girl I ate lemons like other kids ate apples. My taste for the lemon hasn’t changed, I find myself adding lemon zest or lemon juice to anything that will take it. I also love grapefruit, must be something about that tartness that I love. Several years ago, when I started becoming more of a local eater I quit buying as many lemons (which was very sad). Then I discovered the joy of supporting small farms around the country for things I can’t buy locally like olive oil, grapefruit, oranges and of course lemons.
Last year I found the Lemon Ladies Orchard and was thrilled with the box of Meyer Lemons I received. They’re not like regular lemons, they’re sweeter, since they’re a cross between a lemon and a mandarine orange. The Lemon Ladies orchard was started in 2004 by Karen. She decided to name each tree after a lady who had inspired her and helped her achieve her dreams. She grows her trees with organic fertilizer, lots of sunshine and fresh water and they flourish under her care.
I received my box of lemons in the mail last Thursday and have been enjoying sliced lemon in my tea every day. Tonight I plan on making berry cobbler with lemon juice and lemon zest. I’ll make another batch of preserved lemons for sure and meyer lemon marmalade to keep the flavor of these all year long. I might even make a lemon cake with lemon icing, if I do I’ll share with a friend of mine who also has a love for all things lemon.
Earlier this week, Karen, contacted me to thank me for mentioning The Lemon Ladies on my blog and she offered to give a Meyer Gift Bag to one of my lucky readers as a Valentine’s Day Giveaway. So PUCKER UP and comment below, you could win a dozen lovely freshly picked Meyer Lemons from a small orchard in California.
What’s your favorite kind of fruit?
Filed under Friday Favorites | Comments (177)
Ooo what a wonderful giveaway!
My favorite fruit… I have so many, and they change with the seasons. In the Autumn, nothing can beat a fresh apple ripe off the tree, in the Spring into Summer I am all about cherries, strawberries and peaches. In the winter I lean more towards citrus, especially grapefruit (they are just so bright and cheerful!) and then lemons. I like oranges, but I grew up in Spain so I admit to being a tad picky about them.
to Jaspenelle's comment
No way I could pick an all-time favorite, but….I’ll eat anything berry, and I’m definitely a fan of citrus!
to Eileen's comment
I love oranges and strawberries, especially the local ones. Of course I can’t find local oranges or lemons here in Montana. I have been contemplating buying some oranges from California orchard, yummo! I love lemons in blueberry scones, delicious.
to Amber Jackson's comment
I love mandarin oranges! I wish they were in season all year.
gingeroo616 at aol dot com
to stacy's comment
watermelon reminds me of summer
to jill's comment
I don’t think I could pick a favorite fruit, but citrus is way up there. I have a little indoor lemon tree called “meyer improved” but I haven’t had much luck with it so far :( I’ll check out the Lemon Ladies and see if it’s too late to order some :)
to sarah's comment
My favorite fruit depends on the season. Just when I think a perfectly ripe plum is, well perfect apricots come in season. It’s so rare to get a good apricot that life is so much sweeter for a little while when you find one. But soon enough it’s time for apples, and there’s nothing like that first crisp apple of the season (My husband does NOT agree). I don’t think I ever tire of apples, but after a few weeks of apple everything (umm, apple donuts) I’m starting to crave the berries I put away.
So when you ask me my favorite, I assume you mean RIGHT NOW, because otherwise it’s impossible to say. I’m guessing my favorite fruit is about to be Meyer Lemon.
to Bethany's comment
Oh, they look lovely. I’m inspired by your olive brining post and assumed you would be using these along with the olives? I’m seriously thinking of ordering the olives and trying my hand at them, and perhaps some lemons too (if I don’t win!).
to Heather's comment
honeybell oranges:)
to deedee's comment
[…] the oven, they were quite tasty (I’ll share the recipe later). I also used some of those lovely Meyer lemons to make a lemon pound cake. The used Ina Garten’s recipe, I find her recipes always work out […]
to A Great Excuse for Good Food | Chiot’s Run's comment
Raspberries are my favorite!!
to Jennifer's comment
I love my little Meyer Lemon tree, I only get around 3 lemons a year that make it past the dogs tails and children’s inquisitive fingers. But I grew up in southern California, and had a Lime tree in our yard that I used to nap under in the summer, so having the fresh citrus scent of the Meyer’s blossoms takes me back to those days.
to Andrés's comment
Love lemons! I love citrus in general and around this time of year we try to fit it in to a lot of our recipes, from chicken piccata to pound cake & cookies and we even make a vinaigrette from it. Of course with 2 kids, lemonade is a huge winner here too. Another great post with beautiful pictures :)
to sarah's comment
I love lemons so much. I have a glass of lemon water every day (as long as I can buy lemons) before breakfast. It starts my day! Thanks for a chance to win some lemons.
to Karen's comment
Fresh watermelon really can’t be beat in the hot GA summers!
to NEELY's comment
Any berries – love them all!!
to Lillian's comment
Being that I went on a fruit fast for over two weeks last summer, it’s very hard for me to pick just one that is my favorite. I love all Citrus with Pineapple being a close runner up. It’d be lovely to get a box of these Lemons in the mail :)
to beryl lynn's comment
My favorite fruit is the fresh pears, picked right off the tree with a morning dew on them, in our orchard!
I have yet to try a Meyer Lemon…and I am dying too :)
to Allison @ Novice Life's comment
Love lemons and will check out the Lemon Ladies site. Have a lemon tree i started last year in my kitchen.
to Martha Camp's comment
Lemons are my favorite fruit…anything made with lemons…lemon curd, lemoncello, lemon pie….yummy. My sister in California used to have a meyer lemon tree but not any more.
to Danete's comment
Lemons! I love the color, smell and taste of them. I love the word lemon. I use them often in cooking and if I were to win this fabulous giveaway, I would make a big batch of lemon curd.
to Julia's comment
What beautiful lemons! I think I need a lemon tree in the house! What a wonderful contrast that would be to the 4′ of snow on the ground now!
to Renie Ashley's comment
I am a 24 year old Tennessee tranplanted in Cincinnati, OH. Living on my own and missing the country! I just stumbled upon your blog and I love love love it. Looking for great organic farms to go get my dairy products and maybe some produce. Since you are a mere five ish hours away, any suggestions would be appreciated! I love lemons and I love this blog!! I have my apartment ledge pot garden begun…
to Alicia C's comment
Mr Chiots and I love Cincinnati, we both met at school there and lived there for a while after getting married. I’d recommend checking out the Cincinnati Locavore blog http://cincinnatilocavore.blogspot.com/ as a way to connect with the Cincinnati local food scene, it’s thriving. I’m guessing someone in the group can point you to a great place to get dairy & produce as they know more about the area than I do now. LocalHarvest.org is also a great resource for finding things from small farms both far away and locally (where I found the lemons which will never grow in Ohio).
to Susy's comment
While I love most all fruits, the strawberry is right at the top. I have always been a big strawberry fan, but not until a few years ago did I truly experience a ‘perfect berry.’ While living on the Central Coast of California for a military tour I had the pleasure of being immersed in strawberry culture. Central Californians take their strawberries seriously… and the final product sure is blissful. Now I’m stationed somewhere very cold…and not very conducive for amazing strawberries… Guess I’ll just have to wait and hope to get stationed there again!
to Jessie's comment