Crust
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Combine all the ingredients; mix thoroughly.   Press mixture firmly on the bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan.  Set an 8 inch pan inside the crust to hold the crumbs in place.  Bake for 8 minutes.   Remove the inside pie plate and set the pie shell on a rack to cool.

Filling
Place the gelatin in a small bowl and add the cold water.
Beat the egg yolks slightly; combine with 1/3 cup of the sugar, lemon peel and lemon juice in the top of a double boiler.  Cook over (not in) lightly boiling water stirring constantly , until thickened.  Stir in softened gelatin until it is dissolved.

Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.  Add the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat until still and glossy; fold into gelatin mixture.   Pour into crust; chill thoroughly. 

To Serve: Let the pie stand at room temperature about 10 minutes before cutting.  You may serve with a dollop of whipped cream if you wish.

Other Meyer Lemon Recipes
Meyer Lemon Recipes - Ice Box Cake, Whole Fried Artichoke with Meyer Lemon Aioli, Sherbets, Layered Crab and Scallop Salad and more.

Meyer Lemon

The Meyer Lemon is originally from China and thought to be a cross between a true lemon and a mandarin orange.  It has a lighter, sweeter flavor than the more common lemon (Lisbon or Eureka are typical grocery store varieties). You can substitute the standard grocery store lemon in this recipe and the pie will be a bit less sweet and more tart.

"The plant was first brought to the U.S. from China in 1908 by Frank Meyer, an employee of the U.S. Agriculture Department. It was used primarily as an ornamental tree until the early 1980s, when a few California chefs, like Lindsey Shere, the former pastry chef at Chez Panisse, became interested in the fruit." epicurious.com

Pie Presentation
For a more elegant presentation you can bake the pie crust in a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom.  Line the unbaked crust with foil then fill with beans or pie weights and bake according to the recipe.

Before serving, press gently on the bottom of the crust to release the pie from the outside rim.  If the crust is stubborn you can dip the pan, just for a moment, in a bowl of warm water. Be very careful not to get water in the pan.  Don't let the pan sit in the water too long because it can seep into the pie.  Place on a glass pedestal cake dish.

plate by Tiffany