Perfectly round and just a tad sweet, Meyer lemons are those peachy yellow citrus hybrids that make a fleeting appearance in the store (or if you’re lucky, in a good friend’s garden!) every November through March.
A mix of lemon and a sweet orange like mandarin (there is some debate here!), these sugary, thinner-skinned lemons have long been popular as ornamental trees in China, but in the last 50 years they’ve certainly made their mark in the modern kitchen too, thanks to gurus like Martha Stewart and Ina Garten who have used them to sweeten up classics like coffee cake or lemon bars. Really, it’s hard to go wrong with this deliciously versatile fruit.
I love Meyer lemons because they prove that sometimes humans do make things just a little sweeter. In that spirit, let’s turn those Meyer lemons into lemonade.
START TO FINISH: 30-45 MINUTES. SERVES 8.
Print
INGREDIENTS
2 cups Meyer lemon juice
pinch of kosher salt
3-1/2 cups water, divided
1 cup sugar
fresh rosemary (optional)
directions
- Add lemon juice to pitcher with pinch of salt, one cup of room temperature water, and stir.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 2-1/2 cups water until dissolved to make simple syrup.
- Pour the simple syrup into a pitcher in parts, stirring and tasting for sweetness. More water can be added if needed.
- Let the lemonade cool on the counter and then refrigerate. Serve with ice. and a sprig of rosemary.
