Though most of you probably would not consume lemons entirely as a meal, they are commonly used in cooking and lend a great flavor to the food. There are very few people who are aware of the fact that there are different lemon types that can be purchased to suit different kinds of techniques in cooking.
While there are some that are sweet, others belong to the tart variety. It greatly helps to use the right type of lemon in dishes for the best favor. Some of the things that can be considered to distinguish between different types of lemons are:
1. Juice: Taste the juice of the lemon. If it is sweet and has little sourness, it probably belongs to the sweet variety. So it might be Limetta, which is actually a hybrid Mexican lime. Another guess can be that of Meyer lemons or improved Meyer lemons. This is a cross variety between lemon and orange. On the other hand, if the juice is entirely sour, it is probably a Lisbon or Eureka lemon.
2. Skin texture: Pitted and thick skinned lemons that have holes in them can be Eureka lemons. These are grown commercially and are really juicy. Lisbons are the ones that have smooth skin, are a little grainy, and sometimes taper off from one end.
3. Skin color: Orange cast of the lemon’s skin identifies it to be Meyer lemon. On the other hand, if the skin is bright yellow, there are many other aspects that you need to examine before you reach a conclusion as to which type of lemon it is.
4. Seeds: You can also look for seeds. While all other lemon types have some seeds, Lisbon lemons are usually seedless.
5. Place from where the lemons are bought: Yes, even the source from where you have purchased the lemons is also an important determinant in knowing the type of lemon you have purchased. Being grown commercially, Eureka lemons are easily available in almost all grocery stores. As far as Meyer lemons are concerned, they generally get spoiled in shipping, so they are not grown commercially. As a result, they are mostly home grown in places like California. Limettas can be found in the home gardens of people in India, USA, and the Mediterranean region. Last but not least, Lisbons are normally found in Florida at the produce stands.
Hence, there are many aspects of lemons that can be considered to determine which lemon type you have purchased and in which kind of cooking technique will it be most suitable.