PITTSBURGH — Winter, if you're someone who loves the sun, can be something of a bummer in Pittsburgh. While snow days can be magical and warming your hands around a firepit after an afternoon of ice skating or sledding is fun, the long stretches of cold, gray weather can take a definite toll on our psyches.

But there is a bright spot.

Winter is peak season for some of the most vibrant offerings in your grocery's produce section — fresh, juicy citrus fruits from California and Florida.

With their kaleidoscope of color, shape and flavor, citrus is a welcome contrast to the dark days of winter. They include sweet and tangy oranges, clementines and tangerines; bright and zesty lemons and limes; softball-sized white and pink grapefruits; and, if you're really adventurous, tiny and tangy-sweet kumquats.

While it's not a particularly great year for Florida oranges — the state's citrus acreage declined 24% compared to last year, according to the Florida Commercial Citrus Inventory report — the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects the country will produce some 10.75 million pounds of citrus fruit in 2026, up from 10.04 million pounds in 2025. So chances are you'll be able to find your favorite fruit in spades, and oftentimes they're also on sale.

Why should you indulge? Eating or cooking with citrus is a super-easy way to provide your body with a shot of vitamin C, a nutrient that supports immune function and helps with healing. Citrus also contains flavonoids and carotenoids, compounds that have antioxidant properties and may help protect against infections.

Just one medium-sized orange, for instance, is almost all you need to meet your daily dose of vitamin C, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Because the low-cal sunny fruits are high in fiber, citrus also will help fill you up (good if you're cutting back after holiday weight gain), and it helps with digestion.

Many citrus fruits are great for eating out of hand in sections or slices, and nothing beats a glass of fresh orange or grapefruit juice, or a wedge of lemon or lime in a cocktail. But the skin, flesh and zest also can be used in cooking.

The five recipes here should help you start thinking outside the box, beyond salads, salsas and beverages. They include quick overnight preserved lemons that will make your palate dance when added to stews, salads, grains or vegetables; a sweet and creamy orange curd makes a perfect topping for biscuits, pancakes, cakes and ice cream; buttery, melt-in-your mouth thumbprint cookies filled not with jam, as expected, but a creamy key lime filling; a bright and tangy Asian stir-fry accented with sweet and zesty kumquats; and a chewy bittersweet treat made from candied grapefruit peel.

We hope all become favorites.

When buying citrus, opt for firm fruit with bright, colorful skin. You want it to smell slightly sweet and feel heavier in your hand than expected — a higher water content means the fruit will be juicier.

Because citrus zest and peel are best when fresh, make sure the fruit is clean and shiny before pulling out your Microplane or vegetable peeler, even if the fruit is organic. A quick rub with your fingers under warm running water will remove any wax or other debris.

24-hour Preserved Lemon

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A staple condiment in North African and Middle Eastern cooking, preserved lemon adds a unique tangy flavor to stews and soups, grain and legume salads, and sauces. Cured in salt, the peels soften and go from bitter to salty/tart.

Making preserved lemons is often an exercise in patience because most recipes call for allowing the cut lemons to ferment in a mixture of salt, lemon juice, spices and (sometimes) sugar for several weeks. America's Test Kitchen gets the job done in as little as a day.

The lemons won't have as deep and mellow a flavor or soft and silky texture as those preserved the traditional way, but they'll definitely add a bright flavor boost to dishes.

If you can't find organic lemons — always a good choice when you're using the skins — be sure to scrub them really well to remove any wax or other residue.

3 lemons, scrubbed and rinsed

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Slice lemons thin crosswise, and remove as many seeds as possible.

Toss lemons with sugar and salt in bowl. Stir in oil.

Transfer lemons to bowl or pack into jar, then cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 2 weeks.

To use, chop or mince lemon as desired.

Makes about 2 cups.

— Adapted from americastestkitchen.com

Orange Curd

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Why should lemon get all the glory when it comes to making a creamy curd for scones? Orange curd is just as quick and easy to make and is actually a little sweeter (think Creamsicle) because oranges have less acidity than lemons.

The spread is terrific on breakfast breads like toast, English muffins and scones, as well as on pancakes and waffles. But it also can be used as a filling for cakes and tarts or as a topping on ice cream. Or, swirl it in your boring bowl of oatmeal or yogurt for a taste of sunshine.

Don't forget to top the curd with a sheet of plastic wrap before sticking it in the fridge: It not only will prevent a skin from forming but will also keep the curd from absorbing any fridge odors. It can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks.

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

8 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from about 3 oranges)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 large lemons)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces

In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar, both zests and egg yolks.

Whisk in citrus juices and salt.

Add butter; place pan over medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted, mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and small bubbles form around edge of pan, about 5 minutes. (Do not boil.)

Remove pan from heat while continuing to whisk. Pour curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl.

Press plastic wrap against surface of curd; refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.

Makes about 12 ounces of curd.

— marthastewart.com

Key Lime Thumbprints

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This recipe pairs two of my husband's favorite foods — my mom's thumbprint cookies, which are normally filled with cherry preserves, and key lime pie filling. The result is a lovely mix of sweet, tart and buttery. Yum!

My mother always used oleo — an old-fashioned form of margarine I had to explain to my daughter — for baking, but unless you're old school too, you'll probably opt for unsalted butter.

For filling

1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

4 teaspoons finely grated lime zest, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

For cookie

1 cup oleo or unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cream

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Prepare filling. In small bowl, stir together egg yolk, sweetened condensed milk, lime zest and lime juice until well combined. Set aside while you make cookie dough.

In large bowl, mix together oleo or butter and sugar with a rubber spatula until creamy.

Add cream, egg yolk, baking powder and vanilla and mix well. Blend in flour until just combined.

Roll dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, into balls.

Place dough balls several inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.

Poke a well into each ball using your thumb or a 1-tablespoon measure dusted with powdered sugar.

Fill wells with lime mixture. Tap the baking sheet against the counter to let the cookies settle.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

If desired, dust a little confectioners' sugar on top or serve as is.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

— Gretchen McKay

Asian-style Kumquat Chicken

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Kumquats are an unfamiliar citrus to many; the first time I saw a pack of the olive-sized fruit, I thought they were cherry tomatoes.

Native to southeast Asia, they're distinctly citrusy with a surprisingly sweet (and edible) skin. You can snack on them raw, but they're also tasty in any number of cooked dishes. They also can be pickled.

Here, the bright orange fruit adds a sweet and tangy flavor to a quick chicken stir-fry.

When buying, look for fruit that is brightly colored, with unblemished skin. If they're shriveled, they're old and drying out.

For marinade

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

Pinch red pepper flakes

For chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

6 kumquats, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Steamed white or brown rice, for serving

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

For sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon corn starch

1/4 cup water

Make marinade: In a large bowl, stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger and a pinch of red pepper flakes until well combined.

Add chicken thighs and toss to combine. Allow to sit for 20 minutes.

When ready to cook, heat up a wok or large fry pan. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Stir-fry chicken for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden on all sides and cooked through.

Remove from pan to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.

Stir together sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the same wok or in a small saucepan. Sauté minced garlic for 20 seconds. Pour in sauce mixture. The sauce will become thick and bubbly very quickly.

Stir in sliced kumquats and cooked chicken and immediately turn off heat. Add sesame oil and toss to combine.

Serve immediately, with or without rice, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion.

Serves 4.

— Gretchen McKay

Candied Grapefruit Peel

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Looking for a sweet snack that offers fiber along with vitamin C and antioxidants and essential oils? Grapefruit might not immediately come to mind, but maybe it should — the fruit's peel actually is better for you than the pulp.

Here, in a recipe from Paris-based pastry chef David Lebovitz, strips of peel are blanched several times to remove bitterness, simmered in sugar syrup until they're tender and then left to dry on a rack overnight. The chewy, sticky treats are then rolled in sugar for a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness.

Candied peels are best the first week or two after they are made, stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They can be stored three to six months in the refrigerator.

For an extra-decadent treat, dip the candied peels in melted chocolate.

3 grapefruits, organic or unsprayed

2 1/2 cups sugar, plus additional sugar for tossing the finished candied peel

2 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Cut each grapefruit in half and juice them. (Reserve the juice for another purpose.) Use a soup spoon to scrape out the pulp and membranes.

Use a chef's knife to cut the grapefruit peels into strips just shy of 1/2 inch wide. Place the peels in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Drain the peels and repeat the simmering and draining process with the grapefruit peels two more times.

After you've blanched the peels three times, place them back in the pot fitted with a candy thermometer, if using. Add the sugar, water and corn syrup and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook the peels until they're translucent and glossy. The temperature should read about 218 degrees and take about 45 minutes.

Drain the peels in a colander, then spread them on a wire cooling rack and let sit 12 hours at room temperature to dry out a bit.

Sprinkle some sugar (about 1/3 cup) on a baking sheet and use your hands to toss the candied peel in the sugar, adding more sugar as needed, and shaking off any excess, until the peels are well-coated and no longer feel sticky.

Makes about 2 cups.

— davidlebovitz.com

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