PrintMeyer lemons in the DC/Maryland area
Any Serious Eaters out there in the DC/Maryland area who can clue me in as to where I can find meyer lemons? I've looked everywhere and haven't found any, and would love to buy and cook with some while it's the season .. thanks!
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14 Comments:
Whole Foods has them. I just picked up a bunch the other day from the one in Baltimore (Harbor East) so I would presume that other local branches would have them too
charm city cupcake at 9:19AM on 01/23/08
have you tried wegman's?
cybercita at 9:45AM on 01/23/08
Wegman's in Hunt Valley. Costco near White Marsh has them on and off.
Often I find them at Giant/Martin's http://www.giantfood.com/locator/?linkid=105
JerzeeTomato at 9:50AM on 01/23/08
I wouldn't have thought Giant would carry them, but I'll have to look. I've checked all the Whole Foods nearby, but admittedly have never been to Wegman's before (I'm new to the area and have never even seen a Wegman's around). Thanks for your suggestions!
mrsbao at 10:16AM on 01/23/08
Whole Foods carries them--they're usually squirreled away in a very small, shallow bamboo basket next to chile peppers, sunchokes, etc. Not a big pile. Cost around $2.99 (up from $1.99 in December) a lb. You just can't expect all the produce team members to know what they are if you can't find them yourself, and there might not be a sign for them, either. Trader Joe's packages them in fours and charges more than Whole Foods; take them out of the package after purchase, before you leave the store, to check for mold. Balducci's should have them, too. I've never seen them at Giant or Safeway.
Eliz. at 11:18AM on 01/23/08
On a related note....how long do you think they will last in the fridge? I've kept them for two weeks before but I have some left over and want to save them for a special Valentine's Day dinner. Maybe I should just zest and juice them and then freeze both to avoid any spoilage.
charm city cupcake at 11:28AM on 01/23/08
Thanks everyone. I will have to look harder at Whole Foods (the ones in the Montgomery County area) though I really thought I combed the produce section thorougly. I haven't seen them at Trader Joe's either, but both the Whole Foods and the Trader Joe's locations I visit (Rockville Pike locations in Rockville) are both smaller ones, which may explain less selection.
mrsbao at 11:39AM on 01/23/08
Meyer lemons are probably more expensive right now because crops tend to be most prolific in spring and autumn. I've got a few small fruit on my tree, but it's blooming, so I'll have a bunch in a few months.
Be glad you can find them in the stores at all. I live in a citrus-growing state but almost never see Meyers for sale.
Even if you live someplace cold, Meyer lemons are well-suited to container growing. Get an 'Improved Meyer' on dwarf stock. Meyer is a particularly hardy citrus (~20-25deg?), but if winters are bitter where you live (less than zone 8ish), just bring the pot indoors until the worst frosts are over. Be sure to place it in a bright spot near a window, and keep it well watered as citrus in particular are prone to suffer drought in heated indoor air. Harvest after the skin is nearly orange and feels thin and leathery. The fruit should feel heavy, indicating juiciness. Holds very well on the tree after ripening.
They are really pretty trees, and their flowers are wonderfully fragrant. Swallowtails lay their eggs on them, and the caterpillars (look like bird droppings) can really tear up the leaves, but they generally don't harm the tree. They're worth it, IMHO. Watch out for the spines (thorns)!
LoCo at 11:44AM on 01/23/08
There was a long article in the food pages recently -- LA Times as I recall -- title 100 uses for Meyer Lemons. Had several good recipes as I recall.
kjgibson at 11:56AM on 01/23/08
FYI, friends, you can freeze lemons! My mother used to have a prolific Meyer lemon tree, and she couldn't stand not to use all of the fruit, so she froze them. When you're ready for them, just thaw at room temp. Enjoy!
CookiePie at 12:04PM on 01/23/08
Thanks for the tip, cookiepie! Once I finally find them, I just might have to stock up and freeze them!
mrsbao at 12:21PM on 01/23/08
CookiePie, that is the best tip I've gotten all day! When I go home, I'm freezing my lemons!
charm city cupcake at 4:22PM on 01/23/08
i finally found them at whole foods. they were probably there all along, I just wasn't looking in the right place (since they're not with the other lemons, limes, and citruses). They were exactly where you described, Eliz. Thanks everybody, I have never had them before so I'm really excited to bake and cook with them.
mrsbao at 9:08AM on 01/27/08
Cookie Pie, thanks for that great tip about freezing lemons. I'm planting a Meyer lemon tree in my garden this year and was wondering what to do with any extra fruit!
greenkitchen at 10:08AM on 01/27/08