Lemon poppy seed bread great way to bake with citrus

It’s citrus season!

Although sunny citrus may not grow well in our chilly winters, these tart fruits can brighten the cold winter grays that often settle on the Albemarle Sound.

Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, pummelo, and kumquat are in season right now, at least in Florida. But citrus plants are not native to the U.S. and were first brought here by Spaniards. Records show that sweet orange trees which originated in Asia were well established in 1565 in Saint Augustine, Florida, and later in coastal South Carolina and Savannah. Limes and lemons were introduced here in the 1700s. Today you can find citrus at any grocery store in the U.S.

Buying produce that’s in season is more cost efficient due to its abundance and availability. And as I have said many times, cooking seasonally is the best way to plan your menus because fruits and vegetables always taste best when in season.

These colorful, fragrant fruits lend themselves to so many uses. I always keep a variety of citrus fruits on hand for cooking and baking. I like to brighten a beverage with a nice twist, and a little zest can balance many savory dishes, as well as steal the show entirely. And sweets — everything from cakes and pies to delicate mousses and sorbets — are a natural vehicle for citrus fruits to highlight their pungent flavor.

A fast and easy way to enjoy your citrus is to make a quick bread. Quick breads come together in an instant because they do not rise like yeast breads do, but they do take some time to bake. A nice seasonal quick bread is my Meyer Lemon poppy seed bread. A Meyer Lemon is a hybrid citrus fruit native to China. It is not a lemon, but is instead a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid.

This bread can be made with lemon as well, but that nice hint of orange is often a little unexpected and very tasty. This recipe makes one large loaf and is wonderful with coffee or tea in the morning or afternoon, or layered in a trifle.

This week I have included my recipe for Meyer Lemon poppy seed bread. I hope you add a little citrus sunshine to your baking soon.

Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed BreadIngredients

• 2 cups AP flour

• 1⅓ cups sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature

• ⅔ cup canola or vegetable oil

• ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed Meyer Lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons Meyer Lemon zest

Glaze

• ¼ cup fresh-squeezed Meyer Lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon pure orange extract

• ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

• ¾ cup powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Whisk together all dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, oil, sour cream, vanilla, Meyer lemon juice, and zest. Combine wet and dry ingredients until they just come together, not overmixing. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating once while baking. Cover with foil if over browning. Do not overbake as the bread will be dry. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from pan after 15 minutes and poor glaze over top of warm bread.

If you have a cooking question contact me at cher.orr@gmail.com and I’d be happy to assist!

Cheryl Orr was the chef and owner of The Cotton Gin Inn in Edenton, and now owns Cotton Gin Inn Culinary in Downtown Edenton.