citrus sunshine
an ode sunlit miracle fruits 🍋🍊
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Good morning!
Grocery prices are getting higher and higher (not that we didn’t notice, sigh)
Gourmet Magazine Is Back. It’s Not Exactly Sanctioned. [NYT, unlocked]
I’m sure there’s some biochemical reason that, had I paid better attention in biology or chemistry, could explain why I incessantly crave citrus during all of the bleary cold days of winter. Or why I’ve found recently I prefer freshly-squeezed orange juice instead of coffee in the morning, not only upending everything I knew about waking up but possibly my whole identity. But since this is a cooking newsletter we don’t have to unpack any of that. Instead, we can enjoy the the fact that citrus has the good manners to be in season exactly when we need it most (now) and today I get to fawn over some of my favorite ways to work it into recipes. I hope you find inspiration below. I hope it’s exactly what you’re craving, too.
Cheers,
Deb
P.S. It’s not citrus but I think you’re going to love the new recipe going up on the site today.
P.P.S. In case you missed it, in the most recent Yap, my not-strictly-cooking, not-quite-weekly newsletter, we’re talking about icy plunges, a favorite host, a favorite painter, a new-to-me word, and phone notifications. Read it here!
Cheers,
Deb
I’ve written three cookbooks and one audiobook and I’m a tiny bit biased, but I think you’d love them all. Not sure which one to check out first? Take a look at the recipe index and see which collection jumps out at you most.
mixed citrus salad with feta and mint
Just when I’m convinced it’s going to be all bleak and wintry from here on out, better citrus arrives and everything is a little more luminous again. Here’s a favorite salad -- I love it with or for breakfast, and it’s pretty stunning with dinner too.
crispy broccoli with lemon and garlic
Charred broccoli is a top ten food for us; the tray never makes it to the table intact. Try one of the suggested riffs -- crispy egg and crunchy crumbs! burrata sandwich smash! fish sauce vinaigrette! -- and wonder why you ever go a week without it.
lemon potatoes
My spin on blissful lemon potatoes is all I want right now. They’re crisp at the edges and almost melting in the center with pan juices that reduce to a sticky, intensely flavored concentration. Finish with herbs and eat exactly like this, or as a side to a bigger meal; they’re unforgettable.
simplest spaghetti al limone
The simplest way to make spaghetti al limone is also my favorite, enlisting an uncooked sauce, but no cream, butter, or other clutter. It’s sunny and triumphant, a delicious way to end a long way.
grilled chicken salad with cilantro-lime dressing
My favorite summer dinner salad with chili-rubbed grilled chicken, charred corn, fresh avocado, and the best, most habit-forming, most put-it-on-everything, most I-can’t-stop-thinking-about-it cilantro lime dressing on earth is also excellent in the winter. A bowl of Fritos on the side and occasionally crumbled over is optional, but not in my house.
lemon chicken with potatoes and chickpeas
A one-pan lemon chicken with potatoes and chickpeas perfect for right now. The chicken thighs are bronzed and crisp; the roasted potatoes and chickpeas infuse with the lemony onion and garlic drippings. It’s perfect.
caramelized brown sugar oranges with yogurt
A little no-recipe recipe for breakfast with slices of oranges with a sprinkling of brown sugar broiled briefly until caramelized and served with yogurt and some fresh mint. It feels like sunshine and warmth, whether or not the weather wishes to participate.
lemon bars
I gave my classic lemon bars — the bake sale kind with a bright, tart lemon layer on a buttery shortbread crust — a revisit and now they’ve got a better texture, deeper flavor, and fewer steps. Time to fall in love with them all over again! 🍋 [Video below!]
grapefruit yogurt cake
Rules are rules: Cold but piercingly sunny days require grapefruit cake. This 2007 cake felt defiant at the time, celebrating grapefruit instead of the usual lemon, but remains a beloved January fixture in my kitchen, perfectly crumbed and not too sweet.
classic lemon curd tart
A great big puddle of winter sunshine; a lemon curd tart for home cooks like us. Whole eggs, no rolling pins, no pie weights, no thermometer. It’s fancy enough to be served to the fanciest people at the fanciest brunch, but simple and sunny enough to make a dreary winter day feel brighter.
blood orange, almond and ricotta cake
A cake so rich and tender, you might forget that it’s gluten-free, and so sunny and bright, you might forget that the air outside is so cold it hurts your face. Or, at least forgive it for the duration of your next cake break.
blood orange margaritas
Does it seem like all of your so-called friends are on beachy vacations without you? Did you hear it’s going to be super cold again this weekend? I have just the elixir. It’s almost 5pm. I think we know what needs to be done. These margaritas got a glow-up last year after I got the most gorgeous blood oranges from Rincon Tropics.
lemon bars
shop my favorites
Ever wonder where I get my cutting boards, paring knives, offset spatulas and more that you see when I cook? I've created a page on Smitten Kitchen with links to some of my favorite kitchen items, the ones I'm asked about the most — yes, including the the Smitten Kitchen x Staub Braiser. For each item, I've attempted to provide a range of shopping links so we're not just focusing on one giant retailer.
What’s the Smitten Kitchen x Staub Braiser? It’s essentially a lower profile enameled cast-iron Dutch oven that works as as well as a deep sauté pan as it does a soup pot, roasting pan, or even casserole dish that perfectly fits a pasta bake. Not a week has gone by in the decade-plus I’ve had mine when I don’t use it at least three times. Fun news: The braiser is now exclusively sold at Williams-Sonoma and available in six gorgeous new colors!
Looking for recipe inspiration for your new braiser? I created a category on the site to highlight some of my favorite dishes I make in mine.
See you next week!
