Brighten up winter cooking with citrus, from juice to zest

CITRUS fruits are a staple in my house 365 days a year, but I appreciate these fruits the most during the colder months.

Other fruits are in scarcer supply in the winter, which is the peak season for citrus. Plus, when most of our cooking tends to include heavier foods with deeper flavors, that’s when I think citrus has the chance to shine best. A wonderful foil to richer ingredients.

Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs that includes lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits. There are dozens of varieties of each type. Citrus fruits are all grown in warm climates, and the U.S. gets most of its oranges and grapefruits from Florida, lemons from California, and limes from Mexico.

Citrus fruits are often both sweet and sour because of the inherent natural combination of sugar and citric acid. They can add subtle or powerful flavor to countless savory