Vitamin Citrus

Hopefully you have been soaking in Vitamin D as the days lengthen and warm. Just make sure you don’t forget to add Vitamin C – as in Citrus – to your diet. This season is still ideal for enjoying the many kinds of citrus that are available in our grocery stores.

Lemons Lead

I am a lemon fanatic. I always have lemons to add to everything from drinks to desserts. Here are some suggestions:

— Add fresh lemon juice to salad dressings along with Dijon mustard, some crushed garlic and good olive oil.

— Grate lemon zest into soups and stews and add to cake batters and pie fillings.

— Roast lemon slices with chicken or fish.

— Sauté thin lemon slices in oil and caramelize them with a bit of sugar to toss over greens.

Comely Kumquats

Who knew the variety of kumquats that are now available? If you haven’t ever tried a kumquat, you need to understand the basic principle: The skins are sweet and the insides sour! Pop the whole thing into your mouth, bite down and experience the burst of sweet-sour juice and deep flavor flooding your senses.

There are Mandarinquats and kumquat varieties showing up in places like the PCC. Be brave, they might just be one of the citrus treats you look forward to every year.

— Slice kumquats and put in both green and fruit salads. They add a bright tang to both.

— Make simple kumquat preserves – slice kumquats and cook with diluted honey and sugar (consider adding chopped candied ginger) until cooked through. It will be wonderful over ice cream, mixed with yogurt or spread on toast.

— Add chopped kumquat to cake batters or icing.

Limey!

Limes are great additions to drinks, desserts and, of course, guacamole. Lime zest and lime juice can show up anywhere you use lemons. They combine well with lemons in most dishes as well as some signature uses:

— Lime and Tonic – Add lime juice to anything with gin, tequila, vodka or other clear liquor. Nothing says summer more than an icy G&T.

— Guacamole – Limes are the citrus to pair with avocado. A squeeze of fresh lime over store-bought guacamole will spark it up and make it taste home-made.

— Key lime pie – There are lots of recipes for this iconic pie. Regular limes will be fine if you can’t find the little key limes.