"lemons" news and stories

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

Yum, indeed. Behold, cream cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped grilled jalapeños, straight from the barbecue.

Wanna get more from your lemons? Bring them up to room temperature and they'll yield more juice.

A healthy slathering of gouda gravy is the perfect way to give new life to leftover chicken breasts.

If you thought you'd seen it all, think again: chances are, you've never seen potato gratin topped with Caesar salad.

C'est si bon! The U.S. drops its proposed tariff on Roquefort cheese.

Brie with fruit? Been there, done that. Instead, try baked Brie with mushrooms.

Do you save restaurant menus? This poll wants to know.

This photo, taken by Audreyjm529 over at Flickr, does more for citrus than any ill-fated product redesign could ever hope to. It's bright, beautiful and so vibrant that you can practically smell the ambrosial scent of lemons and oranges wafting from your computer screen. Prolonged exposure to this picture may cure everything from Vitamin C deficiency to Seasonal Affective Disorder; side effects may include uncontrollable giddiness and a silly grin. Proceed without caution.

[Via Flickr]

Is a dish lacking something you can't pinpoint? Try a tiny bit of salt if you must, but don't forget the secret weapon tucked in the fridge or lolling on the counter.

• There's nothing like a good dumpling to warm you up in winter. Here are a few to try: Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings With Roasted Garlic Cream, Austrian Bacon and Chive Bread Dumplings and Chicken and Parsley Dumplings.
  
• Portland's Stumptown coffee is heading east, to open a roasting facility in Brooklyn.
• We are firmly in the midst of citrus season and lemons are the star attraction in many a grocery store display.
• Make yourself a more virtuous steak sandwich by using lean beef and omitting the cheese.
• Need help picking out a wine? Check out those tech sheets on the counter.
• Wine classes, apple juice for memory and a contest from Green and Black's chocolate are all In the Mix this week.
• Want a foreign experience without leaving home? Check out this recipe for Moroccan Spinach and Garbanzo Soup.
  
• For a quick weeknight dinner, spice up a grocery store tub of Alfredo Sauce with extra veggies and a couple chicken sausages.

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Ojai, CA to check out the Southern California lemon groves. The trip was sponsored by Sunkist, and so I got a true insider's glimpse of how citrus goes from those beautiful California groves to the shelf in my local market. I also got a chance to pick a lemon (quite a thrill for the girl who hasn't lived in LA since she was eight), see the Pacific Ocean and get a break from the frigid January weather.

I also learned a whole lot about Sunkist. Did you know that Sunkist is actually a cooperative organization, founded 115 years ago by a collection of growers, in order to better market their produce to a broader audience? There are current members of the co-op who are the fifth or sixth generation of their family to be involved with Sunkist. Knowing that certainly helped put a human feel on what had, in my mind, been a faceless corporate entity.

The trip also broadened my thinking towards using lemons in cooking. I tasted the most delicious fried lemon slices, that were amazing with fresh goat cheese (also made with the help of lemon juice) and am currently infusing a bottle of oil with lemons for some special salad dressings come spring. All the lemon tricks and recipes came from celebrity chef Jill Davie, who is Sunkist's official Lemon Lady and was a real treat to get to know.

For more facts about Sunkist lemons and some of Jill's recipes, check after the jump.