Sunday, November 4, 2007

lemon tree very pretty

This is not a normal crop in Shohola, PA, but it's possible I'm not a normal person.

We've had our first frost, so all the houseplants are back indoors. Which includes my very small Meyer lemon tree and its two juicy fruits. I'm so proud of this tree. I brought it back from the brink of doom, plagued by both scale and mealybug. It flowered beautifully this spring and I hand-pollinated since it was still too cold to put it out on the deck.

Citrus flowers are some of my favorites. The fragrance is superb and complex, but not cloying. It combines lush, enveloping sensuality with sharp, clean sweetness.

I'm trying to think of something appropriately celebratory to make with these home grown beauties (something other than lemon meringue pie, thank you very much). Since I only have two, I'm somewhat limited. Any suggestions?

And while I'm soliciting advice and commentary, here's another, more technical question: I'd like to setup this blog so subscribers can receive automatic email notification of new posts. My pals at Wordpress and .mac can do it, so why not Blogger? I've spent about an hour reading through the help groups at Blogger but can't find anything. If anyone out there can help, I'd sure appreciate it. Get to me soon, and perhaps I can repay you with a Pennsylvania lemon.

6 Comments:

At November 4, 2007 at 5:58 PM , Blogger SaraGardens said...

I had the most delightful Bloody Mary today - Hilary had micro-grated lemon rind and included the whole lemon. (Horseradish, various peppers, and pulverized parsley contributed to the effect.)

 
At November 4, 2007 at 11:23 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yankee lemons! How cool is that?

A tall glass of cool, tart lemonade (not too sweet!) sounds perfect but not easily shared.

So how about squeezing one on a freshly caught and grilled trout and the other cut into wedges and served with a steaming cup of oolong tea?

 
At November 5, 2007 at 6:23 AM , Blogger Ellen Zachos said...

Oliver, I love your ideas! Who are you?

 
At November 7, 2007 at 5:42 PM , Blogger Leda Meredith said...

I am yet again deeply envious. My little Brooklyn one-bedroom just doesn't have room for a lemon tree. And otherwise, the 250-Mile Diet (ledameredith.net/wordpress) doesn't permit me going out and buying non-local citrus. Meyer lemons are, however, on my list of things to bring back from my upcoming trip to California, cashing in on my "travel exemptions".

 
At November 20, 2007 at 10:08 PM , Blogger molly said...

ohhh, this post reminds me of the little lemon tree RK and i received from the bounty of his gardening days with you (that we named "joyce"), and it was cruelly taken from us at the canadian border! boo-hoo! makes me miss her...

 
At November 21, 2007 at 1:21 PM , Blogger Ellen Zachos said...

I remember that! You were able to talk most of your plants across the border but not the citrus...If you'd posted this sooner I would have saved you a seed. I gave one lemon to Leda (who better than a Brooklyn-ite on a 250-mile diet to appreciate a local lemon?) and one went into blueberry-lemon jam. I could put that in your Christmas basket...

 

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