Well... what's your favorite cultivar?

Yen Ben an improved Lisbon Lemon from Australia is doing particularly well for me here in NZ. I don't know if it is available in the US but it is a heavy cropper with juicy almost seedless fruit with thin rinds on a smaller tree than Lisbon. A number of commercial growers here grow it for the Japanese market where it is popular.

Valley Lemon hands down

Easy peasy, that would be Meyer Improved. Yumm! So, so juicy. It takes exactly half as many Meyer lemons to make lemonade than it does my Eurekas. They smell heavenly and are the best for cooking. Going to make some Meyer Lemon Marmalade this year, too.

It really depends on what you want out of a lemon. If you want things like lemon bars and lemon creme cookies then regular lemons. Lemonade, lemons for tea, and lighter tasting lemon bars then Meyers for sure.

To me there is no better lemonade than Meyers. I can make a real good Meyer lemon bar but regular lemons just give them that extra tang that is needed.

Randy

I so agree with you about the lemonade, Randy! When I moved into our lovely home in the Fall of 2009, I inherited about 6 very neglected citrus. All were unrecognizable they were in such bad shape except one, and that was a Meyer Improved. And, they only reason it was recognizable is that it was stressed enough to be full of fruit. First time I had ever a Meyer and man, I was hooked! We freeze the juice up for cooking, baking, margaritas, lemonade. And I'm going to have so many now that I'm going to have to make marmalade, lemon pie, lemon bars (I'll make a batch up with Eurekas and with Meyers and let the fam vote on which they like best!)

How much sugar do you add when making lemonade with meyer lemons? I add about 1.25 grams sugar per fluid ounce.

Tri, I make my "411" recipe: 4 parts water, 1 part lemon juice, 1 part Splenda. NO SUGAR. The only sugar you get is what's in the lemon juice, so much easier on the waistline I usually use 8 cups of water, 2 cups of Meyer lemon juice and I start with 1 cup of Splenda, and add about 1/4 cup at a time of the rest of the Splenda until it is just sweet enough. I have found that the Meyers are sweeter, and need less Splenda. A much healthier lemonade recipe. And, when I entertain in the summer, I cannot make enough of this lemonade. I'm constanting running out, and I have to give the recipe out all the time. I tell them they have to find Meyer lemons to get it to taste like this, though!

I posted my lemonade recipe in the recipe section but I will add it here too.

Patty, I zest all my lemons as well and store the zest in the freezer. Hard on the hands but well worth the effort.

Meyers lemonade


Lemonade Syrup Base
· 9 oz or 1 1/3 cups sugar
· 12 oz or 1 1/2 cup water
· 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (one large lemon makes 1 tablespoon zest)
· 13 oz or 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (About 5 Lemons)
Add sugar to water; stir to dissolve the sugar then bring to a boil then Simmer 5 minutes. Cool. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator or freeze.
Lemonade by the pitcher
· Lemonade Syrup Base (full amount from above recipe)
· 3 cups cold water including ice if needed
To make one portion:
· 1/4 glass syrup
· Fill glass with ice and water
Double Syrup
18 oz sugar
24 oz water

Triple
27 oz sugar
36 oz water

Quadruple
36 oz sugar
49 oz water
***Note: Add about 20 oz syrup mix for each 13oz of lemon juice***

Thanks, Randy! I'll go over to the recipe section and see if your lemon bar recipe is over there. And great idea about the zest, I'm surprised I didn't think of that, too, since I bought the best zester in the world (made by Microplane).

Tex, does that create little wee strips or zest? My Microplane grater makes grated zest. You're right, you really have to watch the knuckles, especially with a Microplane, or one good swipe and your down to the bone, no kidding. But man oh man, does it grate fast. Super, duper sharp, like a surgical tool sharp. I can grate an entire wedge of parmesan in about 5 minutes and not break a sweat.

I use the Microplane grater as well. I do have the other device but the microplane also holds the zest until you are finished with an orange or lemon. As noted very fast.

Randy

I have never used Meyer lemon to make lemonade, in fact I have never made lemonade. Eureka, Lisbon, Genoa, Saint Tressa, really doesn't matter, their all good lemons. As far as an actual lemon, in my estimation, Meyer lemons are last on my list. They do not have the sharp/clean taste of a lemon, nor the sweetness of an orange. They are purely a cross hybrid. - Millet (672-)

Oh my gosh, Millet! You are missing heaven on earth - Meyer lemonade! It's so easy to make. I like to use Splenda so I can have guilt-free lemonade Just remember the "411" ratio - 4 parts water, 1 part lemon juice, 1 part Splenda. I cut that 1 part Splenda to about 3/4 of a part, since the Meyers are sweeter, and don't need quite as much Splenda as regular lemons do. And, I only need to squeeze 1/2 the amount of Meyers as I do regular lemons, since they are twice as juicy as my Eureka lemons. And, I really like using Meyer lemons in cooking over other more acidic lemons. It adds a fuller bodied flavor that I don't need to balance out with honey, sugar, or molasses as much. I love my Meyer lemons! Singing the praises of Meyers, yumm.