12 Days Of Meyers - Artichokes and Panna Cotta

I just can't believe the 12 Days of Meyers has already come to an end this year. I would like to extend a HUGE thank you to the following bloggers who took time from their lives and their own blogs to be guest writers for me: Katie, Mary Helen, Hilah, Elizabeth, Addie, Suzanna, Kristin, Kathryn, Michelle and Kate. You are all so amazing and I have had so much fun reading the variety of recipes and stories that you all sent. It just goes to show that if you ask your friends for a favor they will jump to help you every time.

As my tree starts its winter rest preparing for the next bloom in the spring, I will continue to reap it's benefits well into the summer. I've juiced the rest of the lemons on the tree and now have loads of juice packed in the freezer. Over the years I have made many recipes both sweet and savory with these lovely Meyers, but the beauty of citrus is that its versatility, mixed with imagination, provides endless recipe possibilities to explore.

The last two recipes that I am posting were really recipes that I have been pondering in the back of my head for some time. They are super simple and yet, they have great taste and offer a great presentation for entertaining. If you have been following the 12 Days of Meyers then you should know by now that the benefits of citrus are both healthy and delicious. Who knows how many lemons our lovely tree will produce next season, but you can bet that if it continues to be as prolific as in the past and you live near me, you might just get a visit from the Meyer Fairy and find a box on your porch... I'm jus' sayin'!

Meyer Lemon & Lavender Panna Cotta

2 packages of Knox Gelatin
2/3 Cup of Fresh Meyer Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup of Sugar (I normally use Coconut Sugar but chose white so that it would not change the color to brown) 
1 Can of Coconut Cream
1 Cup of Coconut Almond Milk
1 Tsp. of Culinary Lavender leaves
*Optional garnish - Candied Meyer Slices and Lavender flowers 

In a separate bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the lemon juice and set aside to bloom.
Combine the rest of the ingredients - sugar, milks and lavender - in a pot and bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Simmer 6 minutes then turn off heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Put 1/3 cup of the hot milk into the bowl (using a strainer so that the lavender leaves will not go through) with the gelatin and whisk to melt the gelatin. Once the gelatin is incorporated, whisk in the remainder of the milk (using the strainer). Once all is incorporated, pour into a large mold or into ramekins. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight. Serve by inverting onto a plate and carefully running a knife around the outer edge of the panna cotta. Garnish as desired. 

Roasted Meyer lemons and Artichokes with Olives & Garlic

1 Meyer Lemon Sliced
2 Small Globe Artichokes
1 Cup of Mixed Olives
1 Head of Garlic (broken in cloves peels can stay on) 
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Thyme and Sage
Olive Oil

Trim and halve the artichokes (quarter if you are using large artichokes) and scoop out the thistle. Takes one Meyer slice and rub on the inner heart of each artichoke half. Place in a large baking dish leaf side down. Place sliced olives on top. Sprinkle olives, garlic cloves and fresh herbs around the artichokes. Drizzle olive oil all over and sprinkle with Salt & Pepper. Place in a preheated 350` oven for approximately 35-45 minutes. Serve as a tapas plate.

Before going into the oven.

12 Days of Meyers - Gluten Free Meyer Buttermilk Cake

This wonderful blogger and dear friend is also one that is very dear to my heart. I first met her several years ago at the first Austin Food Swap. Back then, I was not sure what a "food swap" was all about. Kate explained it with such ease and her sense of hospitality was warm and open. The swaps have gotten bigger and better over the years, but my fondest memories are of those first small swaps. Since that first meeting, I have picked loquats with this lady and enjoyed tea on her lovely patio. Her hospitality is no secret to locals as she is the author behind 'The Hip Girls Guide To Homemaking", a spin-off from her hugely popular blog. Along with her wife  JoAnn and their sweet little pup Isobel, she lives in a super cool house in East Austin where you will most likely find her canning, writing, repurposing or getting ready for a class to teach.  She is as lovely as the ideas in her book and I'm so excited that she took time out of her busy schedule (finishing the second edition of Hip Girls Guide to Homemaking) to whip up a Meyer creation for this series. She bakes gluten-free so no surprise that she made this tasty cake for this post. Enjoy!

This is a variation on the buttermilk cake I make often, both as a last minute dessert and as a brunch party special touch. I've also doubled the recipe and made cream cheese frosting to end up with a birthday layer cake. I adore this cake and have Julia to thank for turning me onto it. You can use the flour combination in my original post or use a gluten-free flour blend like Pamela's [Artisan] or basic I have a few temporary dietary restrictions so I've substituted out the dairy buttermilk and the sugar (indicated in the recipe in parenthesis). I dare say you can't mess up this forgiving not-too-sweet cake.

Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Cake (gluten-free)

by Kate Payne

of Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking 

1. Grease an 8- or 9-inch baking pan of any shape. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine your dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl:

1 cup gluten-free flour mix (that doesn’t contain leaveners, baking soda/powder)

1/2 cup sugar (I used coconut palm sugar)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

3. Combine your wet ingredients in a separate bowl:

1/2 cup buttermilk  (I whisked together 125ml almond milk, 25 ml coconut milk, 2 tsp strained Meyer lemon juice)

1 egg

1/2 stick (or 1/4 cup) butter, melted

1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or Meyer limoncello if you have it!)

  finely grated zest of 1 large Meyer lemon

4. Add wet to dry, and mix to combine so there are no more dry flour-y patches. Pour into prepared pan.

5. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for about another 10-12 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick poked in the very center comes out without dough-y goo. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon curd, Meyer lemon marmalade or strawberry jam!

Store at room temp, sealed in a parchment bag for up to 3 days or freeze.

12 Days of Meyers - Sweet & Savory

This next blogger is a relatively new friend of mine. I had the pleasure of working with her on last summer's AFBA Cupcakes & Cocktails fundraising event. During one of our committee meetings, the subject of Meyer lemons came up and she swooned over them. Being that she cooks quite a bit of Persian cuisine, I had a feeling she would be a perfect choice to guest write for the 12 Days of Meyers. I love that she decided to stretch her lemons out and try a whole bunch of recipes from sweet to savory. Michelle's blog Beyond Picket Fences explores a lot of Middle Eastern foods. In fact, she scouted out a bunch of Persian restaurants here in Austin for the AFBA City Guide.  She loves baking and cooking for friends and family. I hope you enjoy her Meyer dishes as much as I have.

The Meyer Lemon Fairy, (aka Kristina of Girl Gone Grits) bestowed a large box of delicious, bright yellow, juicy Meyer lemons upon me a few weeks ago and I have been in a lemon frenzy ever since. My Vitamin C intake has dramatically increased, which is good since cold and flu season hit me hard. I decided to make a few special lemony recipes, but mainly I substituted the Meyers for other acids I use regularly, with delicious results!

Meyers are less tart that your average lemon and, to me, have a more complex citrus flavor than standard lemons you find at the grocery store. They work really well in sweets, but I used them primarily in savory dishes over the past few weeks.   I made a lot of things with the Meyers. I may have gone a little overboard, but I’m not complaining. Here is an abbreviated listed of what I made:

Braised leg of lamb with Meyer lemons and pomegranate
Roasted red snapper with Meyer lemons and fennel
Meyer lemon and balsamic salad dressing
Meyer lemon meringue pie

As you can see, I’ve had a tasty past few weeks. The lamb was the biggest hit. We made it for Christmas dinner and I’m sure it’s going to become our regular Christmas meal going forward. Melt in your mouth lamb with the sweet and sour of the pomegranate complemented by the brightness of the Meyer lemons. Yum!  I used this great recipe from BBC Good Food. I adjusted it slightly and added the lemon zest as well as the juice to the recipe, which was a noticeable improvement.

The Meyers worked really well with the red snapper. So often lemon can take over the taste of fish, but in this case the flavors blended perfectly. I made the fish up very simply with olive oil, Meyer lemon slices, fresh fennel (bulb and fronds), and salt. I roasted it in a 375 degree oven covered at first and then finished it uncovered for the last few minutes to brown. Perfect, flakey, lemony fish!

The salad dressing is of my own creation. I whisked ¼ cup of Meyer lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, ½ cup of olive oil, and salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Mix in a bowl and whisk until emulsified. I used it to dress a simple salad of spinach, arugula, cremini mushrooms and fresh chevre.

I most recently made a lemon meringue pie. I couldn’t find my grandmother’s recipe and the only ingredients I remembered from hers were lemons and condensed milk, so I googled all of the lemon pie recipes that have condensed milk in them and found this great one from Paula Deen. I doubled the amount of zest she listed and I’m glad I did. So tart and sweet and refreshing! I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of that pie. One word of advice: let the pie set properly in the fridge before you do the meringue. If you don’t, the pie will be a bit runny. Still delicious, but not very pretty. It didn’t stop me from enjoyed three slices of it, though.

I think the best part of my Meyer mania was figuring out how versatile this fruit is. I found myself squeezing a bit of lemon juice on just about everything or always zesting a lemon into every dish I made. This lemon risotto recipe from Nigella Lawson I just found is set to be the last hurrah of my Meyers. I’m down to my last couple of lemons and I think I’m about to go into withdrawal. They’ve become such a great addition to my kitchen.

12 Days of Meyers - Meyer Lemon Belgium Waffles

Today's guest blogger is a little dynamo and packs a wallop when it comes to community service. I first got to know Kathryn when we started working together on an AFBA Philanthropy event. She was a bucket of information when it came to client sponsorship and her help was invaluable as, along with my other committee volunteers, we were able to pull off a very successful event. It should be no surprise, however, as that expertise and sense of community service is also what has helped her as the co-founder and organizer behind the successful Austin Bakes bake sales - something I learned about first-hand working with her on the recent Austin Bakes for Austin event. She is also the current president of the AFBA and she works full time for Greenling. How she manages all of that and still writes the fabulous blog The Austin Gastronomist is beyond me, but she does, and she was so gracious to write this guest post for me. She did not even hesitate when I asked. As busy as she is, she still manages it all with grace and pure dedication and still finds time to cook, photograph and blog her favorite recipes. Her recipe below for Belgium Waffles just begs you take a weekend morning and turn it into a time to relax and enjoy the quiet around you.  I hope you enjoy her fresh twist on Belgium Waffles.

One of the best decisions I made last year was to give my boyfriend, David, a waffle iron for Christmas. The guy is an engineer and a natural born tinkerer, and the waffle iron has become his latest object of focus. Together since Christmas Day he and I have tried about a dozen waffle recipes, looking for the fluffiest batter, the crispiest edges, and the most buttery flavor. It's been a delicious experiment, to say the least. 

When my friend Kristina gifted us with a bunch of lemons from her renowned backyard tree, I immediately thought of our waffle experiment. The Meyers' sunny color makes them perfect for breakfast time. And the more I thought about it, the more I craved their sweet, tart flavor to helps balance the buttery richness of many waffle recipes we had tried. We used several waffle recipes as the inspiration for our own, including The Minimalist Baker's Lemon Blueberry Waffles, this basic waffle recipe from AllRecipes, and Cuisinart's recipe for Lemon Waffles, which came with our new waffle iron. 

To make the most of Kristina's gorgeous Meyer lemons, David and I included the zest and the juice in our waffle recipe. We preferred waffles without blueberries (too messy) and those with richness from butter instead of oil. Buttermilk made the batter too tart, so our recipe calls for plain milk. We also found that a little extra sugar helps complement the Meyers' sweetness, so we use a quarter cup of granulated sugar in the batter, and garnish with powdered sugar at the end. Of all the toppings we tried -- maple syrup, lemon syrup, blueberry compote-- I liked plain whipped cream the best.  I hope you enjoy these sunny lemon waffles as much as we do!

Meyer Lemon Waffles (yields 4 Belgian waffles)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Juice from 2 Meyer lemons, about 1/4 cup

Zest from 2 Meyer lemons, about 1 tablespoon

powdered sugar

whipped cream

Place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and preheat oven to 200° F. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into the bowl with the flour mixture, and whisk together until just combined. Prepare waffles according to your waffle iron's instructions. (We use a scant cup of batter per waffle in our Belgian waffle maker, cooking 7-8 minutes until crispy at the edges.) Place cooked waffles on the prepared baking sheet in the warm oven until all waffles are finished. Plate each waffle and garnish with powdered sugar and whipped cream.

Kathryn Hutchinson

President, Austin Food Blogger Alliance

Co-founder, Austin Bakes

Blogger, The Austin Gastronomist

12 Days of Meyers - Meyer Mule

I first met the talented writer behind the Mad Betty website not quite two years ago. In fact, when I met her, I was already following her blog but I did not know it was hers. I also found that I kept wanting to call her Betty instead of Kristin. Since then, we have become fast friends. I love that she reviews two of my favorite shows, Mad Men and Breaking Bad.  It never fails that her take on each episode is exactly how I saw it, but then, she'll pose a thought that I did not catch and I love that.  She is always bright and cheery and we always have great conversations when we get together.  Her blog is like reading a subscription magazine as it’s packed with posts on all kinds of cool topics, from movie reviews to restaurant openings to her own twist on holidays and the local food scene.  I am super-excited that she agreed to guest write for me. I’m a huge fan of Moscow Mules and now a bigger fan of Meyer Mules. Kristin proves that if you just take a simple recipe and exchange one flavor component, you can have a whole new explosion of possibilities. Her take on this traditional cocktail is just like her - savvy and sweet with a touch of spice.  Is it five o'clock yet?

Meyer Mule

The Moscow Mule never goes out of style. The classic cocktail is loved for its pleasant bite from spicy ginger beer and tart lime topped with a hefty dose of smooth vodka. It’s traditionally served icy cold in a copper cup that calls to mind romantic old Hollywood nights.

My twist on the original replaces the lime juice with Meyer lemon flavors that mellow out the acidity and leave a sweet finish. But the triple strength ginger brew is like a fierce kick in the pants from Stalin himself. The combination of rugged bite and elegant sophistication make it an ideal cocktail for gatherings of mixed company. Classy dames and motorcycle gangs alike will guzzle down these Meyer Mules.

Meyer Mule

Simmer the following ingredients in a small saucepan until well incorporated to make a lemony simple syrup:

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

Zest of one Meyer lemon

In a shaker of ice add:

2 oz high quality vodka

3 oz ginger beer

Juice of half a Meyer lemon

2 TB lemon simple syrup

2-3 mint leaves, gently crushed by hand

Stir ingredients until well chilled and strain into glass of ice. Garnish with additional lemon and mint.

12 Days of Meyers - Feta Dip

I met Suzanna back in 2010 when I was working on a very special blog post for restricted diets. I had reached out to the local food bloggers with the hope of starting a community project to help out some folks that were dealing with an unexpected health issue that required a very restrictive diet.  She was one of the first to respond. During that time we exchanged several e-mails and with each, our budding friendship grew. From that project alone,  I knew her heart was big and that she had a passion to give back to our community.  I quickly enlisted her to join my volunteer committee for AFBA Philanthropy events and we've been great friends ever since.

What I also need to mention is just how crazy popular she is here in Austin.  Her South Austin Foodie blog has a very large following and is growing every day. If you live in or around South Austin then you know that the food scene is really picking up, but I swear, if it were not for her dedication to trying all of these places out and constructively critiquing them,  I would not know that half of them even existed. She keeps us informed with her weekly bits and bites, letting us know who is closing and who is opening. Occasionally she will throw in some original recipes (which I love) and she always treats each restaurant with the upmost respect when she decides to a post on them. She is highly respected and has been rewarded for such.  She is now in charge of rallying the volunteers over at the AFBA (no surprise) and she continues to stay up on all the media openings. One of the reasons I asked her to do a recipe for me was because the yummy lemon ginger scones that she made last year were the kind you dream about. Of course, I was not at all surprised that she used one of her many travels to create this delicious feta dip recipe.  Check out her site next time you can't figure out where to eat in Austin, or if y'all just want to know what's happening with the South Austin food scene.

I visited Morocco in 2008, and one of the things that sticks with me to this day are the vibrant colors throughout the country. From the souk merchants selling spices arranged in big piles, to the colorful ceramic tiles and dishware to the seemingly endless groves of olives and citrus -- color is everywhere! (And yes, both my pictures here feature ceramics I bought while in Morocco.)

Common throughout Morocco and North Africa are preserved lemons, which are simply made by putting lemons in salt, and letting them cure. Over time, the salt softens the rinds, which is the primary part used. With Meyer lemons, they are already a bit sweeter than typical lemons, so using them to make preserved lemons really makes for a nice flavor.

I was fortunate to receive Meyers from Girl Gone Grits last year and I found a jar of my preserved lemons in the fridge. For the 12 Days of Meyers, I thought a Moroccan-influenced recipe would be nice, and looked to my Moroccan cookbooks for inspiration. I’ve created a feta-based dip that can be easily tweaked for the flavors you wish to feature, and it also makes a great filling for a briouat, a phyllo-filled pastry which can be sweet or savory.

Use the dip as is with vegetable sticks and chips, as a spread on pita bread and then lightly toasted in the oven, stuff a chicken breast with it, or use as a sandwich spread.

Feta Cheese and Preserved Lemon Dip

8 ounces feta cheese (milder flavored or low sodium preferred), crumbled

3 medium cloves garlic

3 Tablespoons preserved Meyer lemons, roughly chopped (the rind, not the pulp)

⅓ – ½ cup Greek yogurt (I used non-fat) or low fat sour cream

1 Tablespoon Meyer lemon juice

1 teaspoon za’tar seasoning*

2 – 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Meyer lemon zest for garnishing

In a food processor, place the feta, garlic, and preserved lemons; pulse a few times to chop.

Add yogurt, Meyer lemon juice, za'tar, thyme and black pepper and puree until desired consistency is reached.

Taste for seasonings; add additional lemon juice or yogurt (or milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk, or even water) to thin out. It will seem quite salty at first!

When flavors are balanced to your liking, scrape into a bowl, garnish with lemon zest, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour so flavors can meld.

* Za’tar is a North African/Middle Eastern spice blend of dried oregano, thyme, sumac, sesame seeds and salt. If you’re here in Austin, Central Market carries it in their bulk spice section; other specialty grocers or Middle Eastern stores will carry it. It adds a nice unique flavor to dishes.

Briouats

Phyllo dough, defrosted according to package directions

Melted butter or cooking spray

Feta Cheese and Preserved Lemon Dip (use as is, or blend with some cooked spinach)

This is a pretty loosey-goosey recipe, as I improvised as I was making them; it may not be the best choice for novice cooks (sorry!) because phyllo can be difficult. Alternately, you can buy the premade phyllo mini–cups, which are a cinch to use!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lay a sheet of phyllo on a clean, flat surface. Spray lightly with cooking spray or brush with melted butter.
Lay another phyllo sheet directly on top, and spray again.
Cut from the long edge into 2 ½ - 3” strips.
At the bottom of a cut strip, place about a tablespoon of dip.
Triangle-fold the strip all the way to the top, making flag-shaped bundles.
Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining phyllo strips.
Lightly spray tops with cooking spray, and bake 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool on a rack; best eaten slightly warm.

12 Days of Meyers - Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Bread (Moosebread)

I started writing this blog back in the summer of 2009 and quickly learned that Austin had more than its fair share of food bloggers.  After a year of discovering and following many of these blogs, as well as writing my own, I thought it was time to meet some of these fellow Austinites. I had noticed on Twitter that Addie Broyles, the food editor for the Austin American Statesman, was hosting a food blogger social event during that year's SXSW festival. All the tickets had been swallowed up almost as quickly as they were made available. I just knew I needed to be there to meet more like-minded bloggers but I had missed out on getting a ticket. I sent her a private note on Twitter with a bribe. I told her that if she got me, a non-SXSW badge holder and new food blogger, a ticket into this event that not only would I be extremely grateful, but I'd also bring her a bottle of our homemade limoncello.  She quickly replied letting me know that she'd hold a ticket for me, not so much for the limoncello, but because that is the kind of person she is. She has a true passion for bringing people together, be it local farmers, bloggers, photographers, restauranteurs, small business food owners or people who just genuinely love to cook and eat.  She somehow keeps a wrangle on all of us and remembers each of us.

Our friendship has grown since that bribe of limoncello and beyond our mutual love of food. I've had the joy of getting to know Addie as a mother, feminist, wife, nurturer, lover of the outdoors, and fellow AFBA board member. Besides her paid gig at the Statesman, she writes several other blogs like Relish Austin, which covers the local food scene, her great personal blog The Feminist Kitchen, and in 2013 she spearheaded the AFBA Cookbook. She continues to be the voice and advocate for local food writers and our growing food community. I'm beyond pleased that she accepted my invitation to be a part of my Twelve Days of Meyers series. The recipe she is sharing below is typical of how she truly connects food with the heartfelt stories of the cook/baker. Enjoy!

Photo Courtesy of Addie Broyles

My family might be the only in America that eats something called “moosebread.” It’s a poppyseed loaf topped with a citrus glaze that my grandmother started making in the 1960s, at least the best that my mom can recall, but it wasn’t until about 20 years later that it earned its unique name and nuzzled its way into family history.

The name comes from my uncles, Curt and Chris, who at some point during their early adulthood adopted the word “moose” as kind of an inside joke.

Curt, the youngest in my notoriously short family, was a 6-foot-plus football player who also played the piccolo in the marching band. (“He was taller than anyone at your folks’ wedding, and he was only in the eighth grade,” my grandmother recalls.)

My uncle Chris, a musical prodigy who is the oldest of the trio of siblings, has probably never played a game of football in his life, but the brothers are notoriously squirrely when they get together.  At one point, they shared “the moose car” and invented a moose call that they’d sing out as a term of brotherly endearment, perhaps after a bout of roughhousing or charades gone wild.

By the time the first grandchild was born (me), Curt became “Uncle Moose.” As a kid, it made sense because he was so tall, but I’ve learned over the years that moose is a state of mind, not a physical condition.

Last week, I talked to both of them to get the story of moosebread, or “moose food,” as they call it, straight from the moose’s mouth.  “I was moose before moose was cool,” says Curt, a longtime employee of Bass Pro Shops who knows a thing or two about trends in lodge decor. As he remembers it, the bread got its name in January 1990, just a few weeks after my grandfather died after many years of illness.

“We had pre-planned this trip to San Diego (to visit Chris and his wife, Betsy) and weren’t sure if we should go with the timing of things,” he says, “but it ended up being a really wonderful time of being together after his passing and burial. It was a way of saying, ‘We’re going to look forward to being together again.’”

He remembers munching on a loaf of poppyseed bread that my grandmother had tucked away in her suitcase. (She has been known to schlep plastic-wrapped baked goods all over this country.) Devouring the bread, Curt remembers saying something along the lines of, “You know, this is moose food.” Chris realized that Curt hadn’t just made a passing comment; he’d added another layer to the moose tradition, which by then also included a moose dance, the goofiest prancing you’ve ever seen, which is usually performed on New Year’s Eve and accompanied by tissues sticking out of one’s nose and ears.

Yes, it’s wacky, but don’t dare call it trivial. I’ll let Betsy, a longtime principal in San Diego who has a Ph.D., explain: “It’s a way of acknowledging human fallibility,” she says. “It’s a free pass out of the corner.”

“You have to recognize this human propensity for less-than-ideal behavior,” says Chris, the only other member of our family with a doctorate degree. “When you give the moose call, it’s a way of saying, ‘I caught you being less than your best, and we’re going to celebrate it.’ It makes it possible to laugh at things you wouldn’t usually laugh at.”  

Ultimately, acknowledging your inner moose is about embracing your inner child. “We never really grow up,” Chris says. “We only learn how to behave in public.”

Photo Courtesy of Addie Broyles

Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Bread (Moosebread)

This poppyseed loaf, which half of our family calls moosebread and the other half calls moose food, is easily one of the most treasured treats in my grandmother’s recipe box. Her recipe calls for butter extract and oil instead of butter, which gives you an idea of when the recipe was likely developed in some unknown Midwestern kitchen, and to honor that legacy, I’ve kept them in this modified version.

The only real change in my version is swapping out orange juice in the glaze for Meyer lemon juice, one of my favorite ingredients this time of year, for my friend and fellow food blogger Kristina Wolter’s 12 Days of Meyer Lemon series on her blog, Girl Gone Grits. Wolter has what might be the largest, most productive Meyer lemon tree in Austin, which last year gave more than 1,000 lemons.

Between the lemons she gave me for this challenge and the lemons from my own small tree, I squeezed almost two quarts of juice and grated enough zest for a large batch of limoncello, the recipe for which you can find on her website. I also ended up making one loaf and a dozen poppyseed muffins from this batch of batter. I put too much batter in the loaf pan, which made the top crack, but it still tasted as good as I remember it.

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

3 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

2 1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 tsp. butter flavor

2 tsp. Meyer lemon zest

For the glaze

1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

1/2 vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine baking powder, flour, salt and poppy seeds. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, milk, oil, extracts and zest. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and thoroughly combine. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake for about one hour until middle of the bread has set.

During the last 10 minutes of baking, make the glaze by heating the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes and then turn off heat.

Right after you remove the loaves from the oven, slowly pour glaze on top of each loaf. Once the loaves have cooled, remove from pan and wrap in plastic wrap. Serve slices of bread at room temperature or warmed slightly. Makes two loaves.

— Addie Broyles

12 Days of Meyers - Ginger Meyer Lemon Ice Cream with Honey Swirl

For Day 3 of my Twelve Days of Meyers, I'd like to introduce the lovely Mary Helen from Mary Makes Dinner.  This sweet gal was the person that first taught me how to make asian dumplings from scratch. I had no idea how easy it was to make them until I took her class. I've been hooked on those and everything else she creates in her kitchen ever since.  She makes vegetarian so doable. She crafts like a queen. She teaches cooking classes and is a local speaker - all of this on top of her day job.  And if that's not enough to make you feel tired, she's now embarking on mamahood.  Her sweet personality shines through in her smile and her beautiful food photos will leave you drooling.  I'm not at all surprised that she chose ice cream as her contribution to this series because she is continually creating ice cream flavors that go beyond the ordinary, such as her Smoked Chocolate.  If you get a chance, go follow her Facebook page to stay up to date with all her musings, and of course, enjoy this creamy sweet Meyer treat. 

Ginger & Meyer Lemon Ice Cream with Honey Swirl

I love meyer lemons in desserts. Their mellow tartness and floral aroma have a wonderful way of tempering the richness of heavier ingredients like cream, custard, and butter. This makes them ideal for lemon bars, cream pies, and cake filling, but if you ask me, ice cream is where lemons really shine. Any trace of bitterness and acidity is softened in ice cream, allowing the sunny flavor and delicate aroma of meyer lemons to prevail. The result is a magical dessert that is somehow both light and indulgent.

The addition of ginger gives this ice cream a slightly spicy note, making it just a little bit more interesting than your everyday lemon ice cream, and the drizzled layers of honey provide a sweet, chewy surprise between bites. This aromatic custard can be devoured right from the pint, but I like it best when its packed into a crispy wafer cone. I suspect that it would also make an excellent topping for a simple baked dessert, like pound cake or angel food. If you’re feeling adventurous, try making a Ginger Ice Cream Parfait by packing the ice cream between layers of lemon cake or angel food, crushed shortbread or gingersnaps, and fresh whipped cream.

This recipe involves making a special simple syrup infused with lemon and ginger. You’ll have plenty of syrup leftover. I recommend saving it in a jar in the fridge for future cocktails, marinades, and popsicles.

Ginger Meyer Syrup
Makes about one cup

Ingredients

• 2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup water the zest and juice of 
• 2 meyer lemons 

Directions

1. Combine the sugar, water, lemon zest, and ginger in a small sauce pan.
2. Bring the contents to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
3. Simmer for ten minutes, then remove from heat.
4. When the mixture has cooled, pour it through a fine mesh strainer.
5. Add the lemon juice, then mix well.
6. The finished syrup should be kept covered and refrigerated.

Meyer Lemon Ice Cream with Honey Swirl
Makes about two pints

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk 
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch 
• 1 1⁄2 ounces cream cheese, softened 
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt 
• 1 1⁄4 cups heavy cream 
• 2⁄3 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 
• the peel from one lemon 
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and thin­sliced 
• 1⁄2 cup Ginger Meyer Syrup 
• 1⁄8 cup honey 

Directions

1. Combine 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch to form a slurry. Set aside. 
2. Whisk the cream cheese and salt
3. Combine the remaining milk, heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, lemon peel, and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 4 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. 
5. Return the pot to the burner, and bring to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for about one minute, long enough for the mixture to thicken slightly. 
6. Slowly whisk the hot custard with the cream cheese, making sure to melt the cheese into the mixture completely. 
7. Shock the mixture to cool it as quickly as possible. You can do this by transferring the mixture to a large plastic bag or large mixing bowl and submerging it in an ice bath. 
8. When the mixture cools to room temperature, transfer it to the refrigerator, and let it chill for about an hour. 
9. Remove the lemon peel and ginger slices, then pour the mixture slowly into the ice cream machine while it is already running. After the mixture has all been poured in, add the Ginger Meyer syrup. Allow the mixture to churn for 20 ­ 40 minutes, or until it firms up and starts pulling away from the sides of the tumbler. 
10. When the ice cream is finished churning, transfer it to freezer containers one scoop at a time. Drizzle thin stripes of honey in between the layers using a squirt bottle. 10. Freeze the packed ice cream for several hours before scooping. 

Mary Helen is a blogger and culinary instructor from Austin, Texas. You can find more of her recipes on her food blog, Mary Makes Dinner.

12 Days of Meyer - Day 12: "When Life Gives You Meyers..."

When life gives you an amazing lemon tree that produces more fruit than one can possibly use, it only seems right to share the bounty with others. I had the pleasure of being the Meyer Fairy this past month because our tree had one of those super-productive years. I gave them to friends, neighbors, family members, and some of my favorite food bloggers. I loved how excited they were to receive a big bag of them. Several friends even bartered their own specialties with me which was such a treat. They were all so creative with what they did with the lemons and some even blogged about there Meyer loot. Below you will find stories and links to some of my favorite bloggers and what they did with their lemons. I hope you enjoy reading their entries as much as I did! At this point, I think it's quite possible I could commit to writing a blog solely about Meyer lemons. Unfortunately, I must get back to reality as my tree has been picked almost clean and the cold weather marks an end to another season. Good thing I have a freezer full of freshly juiced juice to last me the rest of the year... I'm jus' sayin'!

First up, check out this trailer if you are in Austin down on Rainey Street. You are sure to get a delicious Persian treat. Chef Nanez is the culinary wonder behind Wholly Kabob and every day she has something new and tasty to accompany her regular menu. She used her Meyers to make a salad shirazi and saffron chicken and I'm hungry just thinking about it.

Next, my friend Carla over at Austin Urban Gardens bartered with me, offering some yummy canned goods from her pantry. Her blog keeps you in the know with all that is in season, as well as what you should be growing in your gardens. She is also the one who is always up on what's happening with the local farmers here in Austin. I encourage you to check out her site.

This next blogger is the cutest little Southern sweetheart whom I originally met through facebook and have recently gotten to know in person. When Katie received her lemons she went home and created this lovely little appetizer. I especially love how she admits the first round was not as she had hoped but kept at it until it was perfected. She is as cute and sassy in her writing as she is in person, so check out her blog if you get a chance.

If you follow me on facebook you should know that I re-post this next lady's recipes on a regular basis. She is a very dear friend and if you are looking for a blog that you can just pull a seat up to, start reading, and instantly feel like you are with her in her kitchen, well then this is the one. I can personally say that she is exactly as she writes. Down home, witty, sassy, and full of Southern charm. If Maggie's pictures don't draw you in at the start, then her lovely stories will. I promise it will be hard to leave her site. This gremolata recipe is just one of her many lemon recipes that she used the Meyers for. I hope you enjoy Notes From Maggies Farm as much as I do.

Tiffany from Trailer food Diaries created several flavors of lemon curd using her lemons. If you have not had a chance to read her latest cookbook I highly recommend it as it's chock full of local trailer food from here in Austin.

My sassy and witty friend Hilah over at HilahCooks bumped up the old family favorite Lemon Bars by using Meyers. She also made some Limoncello and shared some of her stash of lemons with another friend (I love that). Her videos will make you laugh and you will always learn something new whether you are a beginner in the kitchen or a pro. Her printed cookbook was released in 2012 and it's as witty and informative as her popular videos.

My favorite Hip Girl Kate took no time at all to use her box of lemons. As the queen of hip homemaking she quickly used her Meyers to create a yummy lemon strawberry paletas (recipe will be in her upcoming new book out in the Spring of 2014). She also made this yummy marmalade and encouraged a friend towards canning by sharing some of her stash.  If you are looking for a unique gift for the new homemaker/bride or even a college student that wants to be hip in this modern world then I suggest getting your hands on this book.

Addie is our local food writer over at the Austin Statesman. She took 2 loads of lemons with her, one for her family and one for her Mom in Missouri, whom she was visiting while on Christmas break. She made her Mom some limoncello and then just last night finished up making a delightful Meyer lemon tart.

My personal trainer Jeremy from 10 RM Fitness received his first bag of Meyers from me in early December. He had never had them before, so he was obviously blown away by the perfect balance of lemon and tangerine flavors in these sweet orbs. Besides eating them whole (yes you can do that) he kept a supply of lemon water going for his clients. Of course, I had to bring him another bag as he is now sold on the nutritional value and deliciousness of this lemon.

Check out these great ideas from MadBetty. I gave her a bag after Christmas and she has been busy busy. She sent me a note which I think explains it all - "I've been squeezing them into everything! They are the juiciest Meyers I've ever seen. I used the juice in a vegan mac and cheese dish, (stay tuned for the post) over fish and shrimp, in a pasta sauce with garlic, tomatoes and white wine, in herbal tea with honey, and in my smoothies. Mr Betty and I have been enjoying the lemony goodness so much!"

My dear pastry chef friend Christy over at epicuriousities took her lemons and got to work on some up-coming top secret recipes for her day job at cookingplanit.com, however, if you can't wait for that recipe, then check out this link for her special lemon tart recipe.

Finally, South Austin Foodie took her Meyers and made Christmas gifts with them. She gave me a gift of Meyer lemon candied ginger scones and - Oh My! - those were probably the best scones I have ever had. She usually writes only about restaurants, however, on this special occasion she was willing to share her scone recipe with my readers. Thank you a hundred times over as these really are a delicious treat. If you need to know where to eat in South Austin, please check out her blog and by all means try this recipe.

Crystalized Ginger and Lemon Scones
SouthAustinFoodie

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups white flour
⅓ cup sugar (can omit if glazing)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt (Redmond Real)
1 tablespoon lemon zest (more, if using Meyer lemons)
1 ½ sticks frozen butter, cut into pats, and halved
4 - 5 ounces crystallized ginger, chopped (can do in food processor), equaling ⅔ cup
1 cup heavy cream (use less if using regular flour, not whole wheat), plus additional for brushing tops (optional if glazing)

If glazing:
½ - ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
½ - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In food processor, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add zest and butter, pulsing until it becomes a fine meal; pour into large bowl
Stir in ginger.
Make a well in the center, and add cream, stirring gently to combine.
Turn dough onto counter with Silpat; gently knead and gather into a ball.
Pat the dough out into a rectangle, about 1” tall (approximately 8” x 8”); can use knife or bench scraper to cut into pieces.
Transfer Silpat to baking sheet; bake for about 18 minutes, until golden.
If glazing, combine all ingredients and drizzle over the tops once cool.

Just in case you missed any of the 12 Days of Meyer posts, I've added the links to each post below for an easy review. Also, I always love broadening my Meyer repertoire so if you have a recipe, please feel free to share the link or any other creative ideas you have for them in the comments below.  Sweet or Savory, you just can't go wrong with these globes of sunshine.

Day 1 - Preserved Meyer Lemons
Day 2 - Meyer Water
Day 3 - Meyer Muffins
Day 4 - Meyer Thyme Butter
Day 5 - Meyer Household Cleaner
Day 6 - Meyer Hummus
Day 7 - Chicken Piccata
Day 8 - Meyer Sponge Pudding
Day 9 - Meyer Margarita
Day 10 - Candied Meyers
Day 11 - Meyer Blackberry Phosphate
Day 12 - Meyer Round-Up

If you're interested, here are some older posts highlighting Meyer lemons:
Meyer Lemon Shortbread
Bob's Limoncello
Lady Bird's Lemon Bundt Cake
Lemonade Pie
Ginger Lavender Lemonade
Vanilla-Infused Lemonade
Meyer Lemon Tartlets