Photo by sleepyneko.

Dish of the Week: Meyer lemons
Where: Whole Foods

The most wonderful season of the year is upon us. No, I’m not talking about Christmas, Hanukkah or even Festivus. For food nerds, December and January is prime time to enjoy one of the most fleeting of winter fruits, the Meyer lemon. And since the produce section of the grocery store is only going to get bleaker as the months go on (hello, unripe blueberries from Argentina), now is the the time to take advantage of this little bit of edible sunshine.

The Meyer lemon originated in China and is thought to be a cross between a conventional lemon and a mandarin orange. Meyer lemons are distinguished by their thin skin, tangerine-like fragrance and mild, sweet-tart flavor. They can be used in place of regular lemons in pretty much any recipe you can imagine. Their delicate, floral taste makes them particularly well-suited to desserts, though they can also stand up to a roast chicken, fish, or lamb chops. Meyer lemons can make a cocktail sing, and they play especially well with berries and herbs like basil or lavender.

Over the years, I’ve tried a number of ways to capture the short, if sweet, Meyer lemon season: from tarts and cakes to limoncello and Moroccan preserved lemons. But my favorite way to showcase their unique flavor is in lemon curd. It’s fast, requires few ingredients, and tastes good on pretty much everything (fruit, yogurt, cake, old socks, etc.) Recipe after the jump.