“…and then I decided I was a lemon for a couple of weeks.”

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Meyer lemons are in season! When I saw some at Trader Joe’s I snapped those babies right up, but then the question was, what to do with them? What recipe would feature the complex, gorgeous flavor of Meyer lemons? These delicious custard cakes were the answer. They’re a perfect blend of cake and pudding and make a most refreshing dessert.

Meyer Lemons

So, are Meyer lemons really that different than the usual ones, the Lisbons or Eurekas you usually find at the grocery store? Yes. They’re less acidic, for one, and considerably sweeter. Their rinds are more herbal and subtle in scent, and they’re wonderful for baking. Though you can use them in lieu of recipes calling for regular lemons, and vice versa, beware of the sweetness/tartness level you want in the dish and choose accordingly – Meyer lemons are most definitely not as tart. (For a great recipe using tart lemons of the usual variety, see Luscious Lemon Bars.)

For a long time, Meyer lemons were thought to be a mere lemon-orange hybrid but a recent French study disputes that. Scientists now think that they might be a cross of the three “original” fruit ancestors: citron, mandarin, and pomelo. (Read more about sexy fruit lineage here.) No wonder they’re so delicious!

The Meyer in Meyer Lemons

We have a certain Frank Meyer, a fascinating character with a serious case of wanderlust, to thank for introducing Westerners to the fruit that would eventually bear his name. In the early 20th century, Meyer, an agent for the USDA’s Office of Seed and Plant Introduction, was famed and celebrated for his exploits, which often involved incredible peril and risk of life and limb – he was sort of an exotic plant-seeking Indiana Jones, if you will.

In 1908, he was sent to China and combed the country on foot, looking for special plants and crops from which to send seeds or cuttings back to the U.S. It was while in a small Chinese village near Beijing that he discovered a family’s potted dwarf lemon tree, which boasted a surprising yield of fruit that was sweeter and juicier than usual lemons. He also discovered that well-to-do Chinese would pay top dollar for one of these trees, and hoped the same might be true for Americans some day.

The rest, as they say, is history. Few today know of the eccentric botanist Frank Meyer, his daring adventures, his mysterious demise, and his lasting impact on American agriculture and food culture. Read more about the fascinating Mr. Meyer in this excellent article by Chris Shott for Taste. Or if you really want to dive in, check out the book Fruits of Eden by Amanda Harris.

Reality Bakes

These sweet, creamy little treats will have people scraping their ramekins to get every last crumb. True, you need a bain-marie to ensure gentle baking, but the custard cakes aren’t at all difficult to make. Just watch that baking time.