Meyer Lemon

One sunny spring day on a stroll through St. Helena my wife and I happened across a lemonade stand manned by two young ladies making the greatest lemonade I had ever had. My introduction to the Meyer lemon had been made by the most unassuming of characters. They squeezed fresh Meyer lemons off of the tree ten feet from where I was standing, added to ice cold water and a bit of sugar. The hint of Mandarin orange was delightful as it soften the tart lemon acids. As I sat there enjoying my lemonade I began to wonder who this Meyer fellow was, and the story behind his lemon.

The Meyer lemon was not known outside of China until a plant explorer working for the United States Department of Agriculture happened across an ornamental citrus tree growing in a courtyard in Peking, and brought back a sample for cultivation in California. In 1908 with the unremarkable name of S.P.I. #23028, Frans Nicholas Meijer, an immigrant from the Netherlands later renamed Frank N. Meyer, introduced this little gem into America. It was discovered to be the combination of the citrus limon lemon tree, and the citrus reticulata Mandarin orange tree, giving you a combination of aromatic blossoms, thin-skinned sweet fruit with a hint of orange, and vigorous production, making it a hit for decorative container plantings as well as orchard performance.

Unfortunately when first introduced the Meyer lemon tree carried an unknown citrus disease wherever it was propagated and planted. The citrus disease killed all other varieties of citrus trees and those that survived could not bear fruit. The almost complete global devastation of the citrus industry as a result of the spread of this disease was so disheartening that the Brazilian and Portuguese farmers named the disease “Tristeza” meaning “sadness”. By 1930 most of the Meyer lemon trees were destroyed to halt the spread. In the early1950’s the Meyer lemon was reintroduced for cultivation, by the Four Winds Growers, under the comforting name “Improved Meyer Lemon”. This disease free version has regained its place as one of the great citrus varieties on the planet, and its journey through the multitude of creations it has spawned is no where near its end.

Let me take you on a route through wine country with Meyer lemon creations as our sign posts on the gastronomical pathway. Shall we begin in Santa Rosa at Rosso Pizzeria and Wine Bar for the Meyer Lemon Dungeness Crab Louie Piadine, where the lemon is wedged and eaten skin-on mixed with the fresh local crab and rich dressing? Then it is up to the Seghesio Family winery in Healdsburg for lunch in the Founder’s Room and Fay’s Pan Fried Wild Steelhead with Capers and Meyer lemons with a glass of the crisp Fiano white wine. Over Spring Mountain to the Domaine Charbay Distilley and Winery or “The Still on the Hill”, as it is known by locals, for a bottle of the Meyer Lemon Vodka, a super secret process of macerating pulverized Meyer Lemons to extract all of their earthly essence then distilling them down to their purest form. I recommend it with San Pellegrino and a few Meyer lemon wedges, maybe a sprig of lemon verbena. On to the deck at Rutherford’s Auberge du Soleil, and the epic view of wine country from the restaurant, while we breathe in the steam rising from Chef Curry’s richly scented Meyer lemon and artichoke risotto. Let us walk off lunch a bit and tour the Round Pond Estate Olive Mill in Rutherford, and sample their Meyer lemon olive oil and Meyer lemon citrus syrup. They take the time to slice thousands of organic Meyer lemons and juice the liquid out of each by hand, then crush the rinds with their organically grown estate olives under the one ton granite wheel to produce a beautifully aromatic and versatile Meyer lemon olive oil. At my house the Meyer lemon olive oil is used to garnish a fresh spring sweet pea and yogurt soup with Meyer lemon zest. With the help of the Cowgirl Creamery in Petaluma the lemon juice that was set aside is cooked down with cane sugar to produce the Meyer lemon citrus syrup. Yes, a syrup fit for dessert, but try a splash with the Charbay cocktail above. Our journey is almost at an end, but we must stop into Yountville’s newest hot spot Bottega, where chef Michael Chiarello’s, whole fish emerging from the wood fired oven is joined by the heavenly aroma of the roasting Meyer lemons along side. Exhausted? Just one more stop I promise. We must finish you off with a slice of the semolina cake topped with a zing of Meyer lemon mascarpone at Enoteca Elements in Napa.

Three thousand years to get here, fifty years of cultivation to make it available, one culinary revolution to put it into our brains, and one experience to put it into our hearts. Come take the Meyer lemon journey through wine country, the mustard grass is blooming, and the Dungeness crab is waiting.

Maybe a twist of Meyer lemon with your espresso before heading home?