I was born and raised in Florida, where practically every day is citrus season and every yard has some kind of citrus tree growing, whether you planted it there or not. In fact, at my grandparents’ house, the variety of fruits was so plentiful that my brothers and I would pelt calamondins at each other in sport since there were always more than enough leftover after grandma’smarmaladewas made.
Even though my geography has changed since I've moved to New York, I still manage to keep my citrus intake high. For one, I make sure to maximize mycitrus buying in the wintersince it's when the fruits are the sweetest and juiciest—and the prices are at their best. Though I appreciate eating a peeled orange, there are tons of ways totake advantage of citrus, whether it's in juices, sauces, or salads. Here are some of the best kitchen tools to help you get the most out of citrus season.
Juicer
I've tried my fair share of juicers. Some have a lever that require to you crank down on your halved piece of fruit, but I find the handle to get sticky and tiresome. Plus, on more than one occasion I cranked down on dozens of oranges only to knock the container of juice over and spill my hard work all over the counters. So, when I discoveredthis Proctor Silex model, I was delighted and impressed. With pulp control, a stable and pourable pitcher, and not requiring too much force, this juicer is such a good deal for making so much fresh juice. Wondering what to do what that juice? Let me suggestorange sweet rolls,blood orange and poppy polenta shortbread cookies, orhot grapefruit toddies.
BUY IT:Proctor Silex 66331 Alex's Lemonade Stand Citrus Juicer, $12.36 on Amazon
Citrus Press
I have come to love the citrus press as my love forhomemade dressingsand my proneness for hangnails are both strong. This simple tool, which can be tucked away in any drawer, is so much better than squeezing a lemon or lime by hand. It keeps seeds out of your juice and yields more from a piece of citrus than anything else I've tried. Plus, it's quite useful if you enjoy a citrusy cocktail. Try it out with agrilled orange margaritaandsambal-orange vinaigrette.
BUY IT:Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer, $19.95 on Amazon
Grapefruit Spoon
Other than a battleground for fruit fights, my grandparents' house was also a place where a freshly halved grapefruit would be sitting sit at the breakfast table every morning. Often, I'd destroy my fruit by going at it with a normal spoon, though I'd occasionally carefully segment each section with a knife to eat it with ease. It wasn't until later in life that I realized a grapefruit spoon would combine those actions. Plus, did you know the grapefruit spoon can be used inmore than one way
BUY IT:Chef Craft Grapefruit Spoon, $4.71 on Amazon
Zester
There are few desserts, salads, and sauces that don't benefit from a sprinkling of citrus zest. Durable and slim, this grater will use its razor-sharp teeth for ideal zesting—just watch your knuckles because this thing works without much force. Use it to makepecan-orange baklava pieorsteak with rosemary-orange crust
BUY IT:Microplane 45004 Gourmet Series Black Fine Grater, $15.55 on Amazon
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