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(She) Blinded Me With...Citrus

Excuse my attempt at tying today's blog entry with an iconic Thomas Dolby song.  What a terrible pun-ishment.

Har har har.

So, we're on the backside of Winter Vacation/Christmas Break/Holiday Hiatus here.  The kids return to school tomorrow, the freshman and I start back to our respective colleges next Monday. The clock is ticking and suddenly, I am whipped into frenzy to Get Work Done.  I suspect this phenomenon happens to many, many educators who try to avoid that panic-stricken night before they go back to work.

And believe me when I say, I had the deepest, most earnest of intentions to write lesson plans, write quizzes, and generally prepare for the restart of my classes next week.  Like, really.

And then...I was distracted by...citrus.  This happened.


Okay, so....the lemons on the far right are no big deal.  They're available year-round.  But Meyer lemons...MEYER...I only find around here in the winter.  I first read about them in Alice Waters' cookbook, the Art of Simple Food.  They're a little smaller, a darker shade of yellow, and a tad sweeter.  I ALWAYS buy them whenever I see them.  I don't always know what I'm going to do with them, but...pshhht! Details.

And today, I wanted to use them to make a Meyer Lemon Sherbet.  So, I did that.  Then, I wanted to take my regular bag of lemons and do some preserved/cured/confit of lemons.  That jar in the middle has three quartered lemons in it, right before I dumped in a boatload of salt.  I let it sit for a month or so...and then, I have deliciously preserved lemons that I can use in a myriad of ways to add a flavor layer to my dishes.  I used a Michael Ruhlman recipe, and it's really pretty simple...as long as you've got the time to wait.  Like, a month.  Which I do.

Also, I had a half-case of blood oranges that needed something done with them, so I juiced them.  And made a beautiful Blood Orange Panna Cotta for dinner tonight.


I think I've got to go back and read my iPhone 7 manual - especially regarding the camera and why it takes such crummy pictures.  Feel like the color's all off here.  Anyway.  The panna cotta is a lovely pale peach-ish color and there was a special little treat down in the bottom of the ramekin...blood orange jelly.

Yeah, a little distracted by the citrus charms today...but totally worth it.  And hey, I got some lesson planning done when I took Child #2 and #3 to the dentist.  Orange's well that lemon's well, don't you know!?

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