Fruit Freak: Meyer Lemon

Citrus is among my favorite fruits. Well, I am a fruit freak, so I love all fruits near equally. However in the lemon universe there is one lemon that is galaxies beyond the others, the Meyer Lemon. It's sweetness overcomes the acidity of other varieties of lemons. It's soft skin is an intense hue of yellow and very fragrant. The Meyer Lemon is a cross between a regular lemon and an orange (possibly a mandarin variety).

It's delicious over chicken or fish. I also use it often with my vegetables.

Meyer Lemons, California

Summer Salad in Winter: Heirloom Tomato & Arugula Salad Recipe

The one thing about living in Los Angeles is that we even have summer weather in the winter. We haven't seen a hint of the "polar vortex", unfortunately we're having quite the opposite situation as we are experiencing a drought here in California and should all be doing our part to conserve water.

Even though we are having a drought, there is still beautiful California produce available. Here's a quick, delicious and healthy salad I threw together from some fresh veggies from the market.

Heirloom Tomato & Arugula Salad

Heirloom Tomato & Arugula Salad

Ingredients:
1 Large Heirloom Tomato (or 2 Small Heirloom Tomatoes)
1 Handful of Arugula
Juice of Half a Lemon
1-2tbsp of Good Olive Oil
Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method:
Put a handful of arugula on a plate. Top with sliced tomatoes. Add a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil. Top with Pecorino cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. This is more of a method and nothing is really done by measurement, but more to your personal taste.

Fruit: White Sapote

White Sapote Fruit, California

I picked up a variety of fruits this afternoon at the Silver Lake Farmers' Market. One interesting fruit was the white sapote. White sapote is a drupe fruit with a very thin, delicate skin that can be scratched off with your finger. Inside the fruit is a soft creamy flesh with a taste that is slightly like a pear and pineapple. The flesh usually contains four pits (seeds) that easily separate from the flesh. When ripe the fruit is soft like an avocado when ripe. These fruit are relatively small - about 2inches in diameter. Wikipedia claims the skin is inedible, but I eat it. It's slightly more tart and tangy than the flesh. Eating much of this fruit can make you feel drowsy. The aztec word for the white sapote was "cochitzapotl" - meaning "sleep sapote".

Trying Lotus

Lotus root had long been one of my favorite snacks. The first time I tried it was at a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles years ago. The root is sliced and pickled in a light sauce. When sliced it has a beautiful flower-like pattern inside. It is crisp, savory and slightly sweet and very refreshing for summer. Available at Silver Lake Farmers' Market.