5 Citrus Recipes to Brighten Your Winter Table

By Sarah Hearn Morrison

As is true for many New Englanders, my first memories of oranges were tied to a large box of fruit shipped from Florida every December. In our house, the telltale signs of Christmas morning included the hum of holiday music, torn wrapping paper strewn about, and a small mountain of orange peels piled beside an old-fashioned manual steel juicer. We’d take turns pressing the lever to expel the fresh juice, dramatically declaring with each sip that it was just like being in Florida.

While citrus may not thrive in New England as a crop, it took the region by storm in the 19th century, when a network of railways allowed the fruit to be shipped here from southern climes. As a result, recipes featuring lemons, oranges, and grapefruit began appearing more regularly in New England cookbooks. That prized box of oranges in our home was just an extension of the same tradition.

Between the sunshine-hued colors, the always-welcome dose of vitamin C, and the boldly sweet-tart-tangy flavors, citrus feels like exactly what we need during the cold, gray, and sometimes seemingly endless winter. So bake a dish of tangerine bars or some ramekins of lemon pudding cake; whip up a triple-lemon loaf cake or some grapefruit-glazed cookies perfumed with Earl Grey tea. Or just add freshly squeezed blood orange juice to a vinaigrette for a taste of warmer lands—and add a little sunshine to your New England winter.

Citrus Recipes

Triple-Lemon Loaf Cake

Earl Grey Sablés with Pink Grapefruit Glaze

Fennel, Blood Orange & Pistachio Salad

Tangerine Bars

Lemon Pudding Cakes

Yankee Magazine

More by Yankee Magazine