Happy 2014, friends!
There is so much I want to share with you, like this beautiful bowl of citrus. Some of it, from our very own garden! The lime tree that our friend Phillip Greenlief gave us as a wedding gift has begun to produce fruit. Not all the limes in the above picture are from our tree, but a few of them are, as are the lemons, glorious meyer lemons!
Citrus is one of the things I love about winter, and in my rare moments of time recently, I've been enjoying creating all manner of citrus-laden treats: lemon confit, fennel lemon relish, preserved lemons, lime syrup to use in lime spritzers, and citrus salad with tarragon.
The lime syrup and the fennel lemon relish recipes both come from the new Alice Waters book, The Art of Simple Food II. If the second book is anything like the first, I know that I'll be referring to it often. The fennel lemon relish is simple and refreshing, and bursting with flavor. And the lime syrup is fabulous mixed with sparkling water, and I'm betting it would also be very good mixed with a little splash of vodka!
Still looking forward to making limoncello, lemon sorbet and lemon cream. Hopefully I'll be able to find the time before winter turns to spring.
Until next time, wishing you fruitful gardens, bright splashes of sunshine, and big bursts of flavor in every endeavor, culinary and otherwise.
