Food Snobbery and Meyer Lemon Scones

I think there is a difference between people who like food and people who like to eat. My non-scientific, subjective definition is that someone who likes food cares about the ingredients they use, where the things they eat come from and how to prepare the ingredients with flavors that will enhance or complement their taste.

Alternatively, people who like to eat care less about what they're eating than the fact that they're eating. Greasy French fries? Bring it. Sub-par diner lasagna? They'll have seconds. Sometimes, the people who like to eat also like food, but not always.

I've always liked to eat. And while I've never been a Dorito-chomping fast-food shoveler, I've always been an eater. Yet, over the past few years, I've taken a more invested interest in food, cooking and the ingredients that I use. Some might use the term food snob but that just sounds so...well, snobby. 

Before I started this blog, I thought a lemon was a lemon. I knew that there were hundreds of varieties of apples and more types of squash than there are days of the week but it wasn't until I entered food blogdom did I learn what a Meyer lemon is.

Meyer lemons are a hybrid fruit: a cross between tangerines or mandarin orange and lemons, which is native to China. Meyer lemons are smaller and more spherical than regular lemons, with a less acidic taste that makes them perfect for cooking and baking. Their peak season is short: November - January in most climates. Here in Chicago, they're available now and what better time than the holiday season to eat a just-sweet-enough-just-tart-enough scone for breakfast with your morning coffee?

Meyer Lemon Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into 10-12 small pieces
8-10 tbsp fresh meyer lemon juice
1-2 tsp meyer lemon zest

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add butter and toss to coat. Using your finger tips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles very coarse sand.

3. Add 5-6 tablespoons of orange juice and zest and stir dought with a fork. Add remaining juice until dough comes together into a not-too-moist ball. Divide dough in to two balls and flatten onto baking sheet to for discs about 1-inch thick. Divide each disc into quarters and separate slightly.

4. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until scones are a light golden color. A toothpick should come out clean, but color is a reliable indicator for these.

5. Makes 8.For the “glaze”: Mix together a few tablespoonfuls of white sugar with a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to make a paste. Drizzle on scones when hot out of the oven.

6. Let scones cool before eating.

Comments

[Megan]

I never knew that a meyer lemon was a hybrid fruit! I had definitely heard of them but just thought they were smaller, less acidic lemons. Thanks for the info!!

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

I love that Trader Joe's carries Meyer lemons, in season, and at a better price than Whole Foods.

[mandy]

I have never heard of these lemons, I must locate them and makes this.

[Amy J in SC]

I've never enjoyed scones because they've always seemed bland to me but I bet the lemon (and a meyer lemon at that) adds a lot of flavor and without calories! I'll be trying this soon.

[Daryl Callahan]

These look fantastic! I have to laugh tho cuz I had french fries and a diet pepsi for dinner last night! They were greasy and they were good!

[Sarah Caron]

Oh Maris, those sound delicious. And thank you for explaining the Meyer Lemon thing ... I really had no idea what the difference was. Who knew? I both like to eat and like food too. Good food tastes better.