Because I Can't...

One of the best things about New York City is the food. If you’re in a fashionable neighborhood you can walk out the door and down the block past dozens of cafes and restaurants with a good atmosphere, affordable food, and really scrumptious offerings. Because, well, there are five other cafes competing for customers on the same block…so it has to be good and cheap. That said, one of the worst things about New York City is the food. Because of the availability and abundance of dining options its hard to resist and easy to (hypothetically speaking) gain ten pounds or more in a few short, delicious weeks.

I partook of my own culinary binge on the delights of the east village last week; hot dogs, red velvet cake, pomme frittes, pierogi, Chinese takeout, and to top it all off, duck consumme. And now I must repent. So even though all I want to do is bake…”Bake, bake, bake!” my inner voice screams at me while visions of peanut butter cookies, Meyer lemon loaf, banana bread, and carrot cake cupcakes dance in my head, I must refrain and be good. So because I can’t, I hope you will. Bake, please, and then tell me all about it, so I can eat vicariously through you. Ok, that sounded a little eating-disorder-ish...don’t worry, I’ll cave eventually and dive into something rife with sugar and butter.

By the way, all of those deserts dancing around in my head? They will be made at some point or another, although probably not until I get back to LA and have all of my baking supplies again. So you can have something to look forward to…although the peanut butter cookies may be on the agenda in short order – I’ve had a mean craving for a while now.

In the meantime, here is a recipe for a Meyer lemon loaf I’ve been making for the past 2 years, ever since I figured out what a Meyer lemon was and then proceeded to fall in love with them. The best part about this loaf is the super tangy/sour lemon syrup that you brush over the outside of the loaf once its come out of the oven. When indulging in something lasciviously lemony, I usually like to keep things tart and the syrup does just that – coating the outside with a zing that is quickly ameliorated by the spongy, soft, buttery, sweet, and lemony cake. It’s a good cake to have with tea, or for breakfast, or for an afternoon snack, or as desert with ice cream…or for when you’re in bed watching reruns of Law and Order late in the wee hours.

Meyer Lemon Loaf

1 1/3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Zest of two Meyer lemons, grated
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup crème fraiche at room temperature
3 1/2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice)
pinch of salt
1 1/4 ounces butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, juice from one lemon (for the simple syrup)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter and flour 1 loaf pans, I usually use 7x3x2"


1. Sift together the cake flour and baking powder, set aside.
2. Place the sugar and the lemon zest in a large mixing bowl, and rub together until the sugar is lemon scented and a bit clumpy. Add the eggs and beat with a whisk until the mixture is a light lemon color and thickened a bit.
3. Whisk in the sour cream then the salt, then the lemon juice.
4. Gently whisk in the flour in four parts, then whisk the butter in in three parts. You will have a lovely thick yet pourable batter flecked with lemon zest.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for about 55 minutes, or until the top doesn't sink in when lightly pressed. The tops of the loaves should split open beautifully revealing their creamy pale yellow innards.
6. While the loaves are baking, boil together the sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.
7. Turn the loaves out of their pans onto a cooling rack and brush liberally with the lemon syrup, repeat brushing as you feel necessary. Let cool.