How can a lemon taste like soap?

[readsalot]

On Sunday, I made a lemon tart that I had to throw away, because the filling tasted like soap. I thought that it was because the food processor in which I'd made the filling hadn't been sufficiently rinsed after its last washing. However, I just tried again, and the same thing almost happened.

This recipe uses a whole Meyer lemon. You slice it thinly, remove the seeds, then grind it up with sugar, and then add butter and eggs. I made it once before, and it was completely delicious. Then, on Sunday, soap. I was trying again tonight, because I had another Meyer lemon that I'd bought with the previous one, and I noticed while I was slicing it that it didn't smell very lemony, and it did smell a bit soapy. So I tasted a bit. Yes, that was the soapy taste. Richard confirmed it.

I'm trying to figure out what to do next. I'm not going to make the tart with this--hopefully my partially baked pie crust will keep until tomorrow. But how does something like this happen? What would make a lemon taste like soap?

Comments

Your lemons are old!

[artnheart]

Hello there!
That soapy taste happens when my lemons are old. Whether you just bought them or have kept them in the refrigerator, if they are tasting soapy it means they are old. Best chance? Get some new ones!

Re: Your lemons are old!

[readsalot]

I think I figured out that they were not actually Meyer lemons, they were some other sub-species that can often taste soapy.