lemon

Lemon works year-round, but it shows up differently depending on the season.

In winter, Meyer lemons have their brief window and they deserve more than a squeeze over fish — that’s when a double boiler curd makes sense, thick enough to fill a tart or layer a cake.

Come summer, lemon is the marinade that makes grilled chicken worth making again, the bright note in a cocktail, and the glaze that cuts through the sweetness of a blackberry muffin.

In between, it keeps hollandaise sharp, salad dressings honest, and a lemon crème brûlée in regular rotation.