Summer Citrus Series: Lemon Meringue Pie History

Origins

The origins of lemons are unknown. It's possible that the first lemons were grown in various countries in Asia. Lemons appeared in Europe, via Italy, around the second century A.D. during the Roman Empire. The popularity of citrus fruits goes all the way back to Medieval Europe. Quite similar to spices and chocolate, citrus fruits were costly food items. They were used for various purposes. Because they were such a commodity many things were flavored with citrus from special occasion cakes, using dried fruit, to perfumed water, for commonplace foods and medicines. It is believed that fruit flavored water was the precursor to fruit fillings. Orange was thought to be the most popular citrus fruit during this time. Lemons were a common substitution for oranges, particularly in baking. Meringue was created when 16th century cooks figured out that the result of whipping eggs whites was an egg foam. Meringue consisting of egg whites and sugar was initially called sugar puff. Sugar puff emerged in cookbooks in the 17th century. In the 18th century pastry chefs incorporated cream of tartar into meringue to make it more stable. There are conflicting opinions about who created the first lemon custard i.e. curd. Some think that Alexander Frehse, a Swiss baker created the first recipe. Others site the culinary staff of botanist Emile Campbell-Browne with the honor. Many more believe that the Quakers devised lemon custard in the 18th century. Regardless of who created lemon custard, most agree that it was upgraded in the 19th century by Philadelphian renaissance woman, Elizabeth Coane Goodfellow. This is because in her lemon custard only egg yolks were used. Elizabeth is also credited with inventing lemon meringue pie.

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