Lemon

Lemon chiffon pie Total time: 45 minutes plus chilling time Servings: 8 Note: Adapted from "American Regional Cooking" by Sheila Hibben. 1 ( 1/4 ounce) packet (about 1 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin 3 tablespoons water 4 eggs, separated and divided 1 cup sugar, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped Baked pie crust 1. In a small bowl, drizzle the gelatin over the cold water to soak.

One of the stands of lemon grass in the middle of the Vermont Square Community Garden is in full flower now, a somewhat unusual occurrence. It's not a particularly attractive phase for the plants, which look like overgrown weeds on their last legs. Fortunately the plants' useful life isn't over; the stage is  simply another turn of the wheel, the clumps of lemon grass scattering seeds to expand their reach. The lemon grass is in a communal plot, available to all the gardeners to use. The aromatic grass exudes a citrus scent that comes out in cooking.

The Irvine Saturday farmers market is the largest and best in Orange County, but it's a mixed bag. It has some worthy local small farmers who come in person, along with more commercial farms, and even a few who have been sanctioned previously for cheating by agricultural authorities or other managers. Orange County Produce, owned by the family of the previous California agriculture secretary, A.G. Kawamura, farms on remnants of undeveloped local land, a bittersweet reminder of the county's past agricultural glory.

If you want ideas for what to put in your juice at home, there are plenty of cookbooks - Amazon lists dozens - and websites. Even Williams Sonoma sells a book on fresh juices. And BlendedRecipes.com features juicing videos set in a retro-themed kitchen; in October, the site had 24.6 million visits. But if making your own juice is not for you, last year The meal delivery service Paleta ( www.paleta.com ) launched juices like the Sonic Tonic: collards and other greens with pear and lemon.

  Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Servings: 6 to 8 Note: Adapted from "Rustic Fruit Desserts" by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson. Crumb topping 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt Zest of 1 lemon 1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, cubed, at room temperature In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the butter, using a fork or your fingers to cut in the butter until it is reduced to the size of peas.

  NOTE: Master Class columns are intended for ambitious home cooks, and some of the recipes may call for special ingredients or equipment. When that is the case, we will provide an alternative method for the main element of the dish so it can be prepared even without this ingredient or equipment. Lemon hazelnut vinaigrette Total time: 10 minutes Servings: This makes 1¼ cups vinaigrette Note: This recipe requires xanthan gum, as well as a fine mesh strainer.

Rosemary-lemon salt This makes enough for a 20-pound turkey. Allow 2 tablespoons per 5 pounds of turkey weight. 1/4 cup kosher salt 4 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest Pulse together the salt, rosemary and lemon zest in a spice grinder or mash them in a mortar and pestle. Makes 1/2 cup. The mixture can be stored in a tightly sealed jar for up to 2 weeks. Each tablespoon: 1 calorie; 0 protein; 0 carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 0 sugar; 1,680 mg. sodium.

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes plus cooling time Servings: 8 Note: Adapted from "The Food52 Cookbook" by Amanda Hesser, Merrill Stubbs and the Food 52 community. 1 unbaked (9-inch) tart shell 1 large Meyer lemon (about 6 ounces), cut into 8 pieces and seeded 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 eggs 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prick the bottom of the tart shell lightly with a fork, line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with pie weights (you can use dried beans and save them to use as weights the next time you bake)

Lemon gelato (water-based) Total time: 20 minutes plus 1½ hours freezing time Servings: 8 (Makes about 1 quart gelato) 1 cup lemon juice, from about 6 lemons 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 cups water 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) diced apple (about 1 apple), cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces 1 1/2 pounds ice 1 pound rock salt 1. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, sugar, water and diced apple.

One of my co-workers always asks for a slice of lemon in his water. I shudder every time I see that piece of lemon floating in his glass, but I don't have the nerve to tell him it's probably loaded with germs. Am I mistaken? You are correct. Microbiologist Anne LaGrange Loving was served a Diet Coke with a slice of lemon she had not requested. She decided to check whether the lemon was likely to be contaminated. She and her co-author surreptitiously swabbed 76 lemon slices served at 21 different restaurants, then cultured the results.

The Irvine Saturday farmers market is the largest and best in Orange County, but it's a mixed bag. It has some worthy local small farmers who come in person, along with more commercial farms, and even a few who have been sanctioned previously for cheating by agricultural authorities or other managers. Orange County Produce, owned by the family of the previous California agriculture secretary, A.G. Kawamura, farms on remnants of undeveloped local land, a bittersweet reminder of the county's past agricultural glory.

Here's a small and not-remotely-comprehensive list of weird things that happened in Florida last year: A woman was arrested for riding a manatee; a giant blue eyeball washed up on a beach; a mom and daughter started a tandem porn-star team; and a guy died after winning (or perhaps losing) a roach-eating contest in an attempt to win a pet python from a reptile store. When that's a typical Floridian news cycle, who needs fantasy? That's the trouble with Karen Russell's new story collection, "Vampires in the Lemon Grove," her first book since the reputation-sealing novel "Swamplandia!

I've got the flu. Nothing dramatic about that -- judging from my Facebook feed, half of America does, too. But it got me thinking: When you're feeling rotten -- runny nose, watery eyes, constant hacking -- what food makes you feel better? I've got a couple of favorites of my own, depending on the meal and just how rotten I'm feeling. When I'm at my worst, and this may be hard to believe, I really don't care what I'm eating. Seriously. I'll make a cup of tea with Meyer lemon slices, honey and hot water (and if I'm REALLY rocky, I'll pull my grandpa's trick and add a slug of bourbon)

A recipe adapted from Thomas Keller's "Ad Hoc at Home," these crisp, braised chicken thighs are rich yet bright with a great harmony of flavors, including olives, lemon zest and thinly sliced fennel. The whole dish comes together in just over an hour, and you can find the recipe below. For more quick-fix dinner ideas, check out our video recipe gallery . Food editor Russ Parsons and Test Kitchen manager Noelle Carter show you how to fix several dishes in an hour or less.

Grilled pork chops with sweet lemon grass marinade Total time: 40 minutes, plus marinating time Servings: 6 Note: Adapted from "Vietnamese Home Cooking" by Charles Phan. 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 lemon grass stalk, finely chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced shallot 1 Thai chile, stemmed and finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 bone-in center-cut pork chops, each about 12 ounces and 1 inch thick 1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, lemon grass, garlic, shallot, chile and black pepper, and whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Caramelized lemon grass shrimp Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes, plus cooling time Servings: 6 as part of a multi-course meal Note: Adapted from "Vietnamese Home Cooking" by Charles Phan. Palm sugar, fish sauce, Sichuan peppercorns and annatto seeds can be found at select cooking supply stores and Asian markets; annatto seeds can also be found at most Latin markets. Caramel sauce 2 pounds light brown palm sugar, chopped into pieces 2 1/2 cups fish sauce 1. In a heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot, gently melt the sugar over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

  Total time: About 1 hour Servings: 4 to 6 2 pounds zucchini 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup finely diced onion 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Zest of 1/2 lemon Salt 1 tablespoon chopped mint, divided 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts 1. Cut the ends from each zucchini, slice the zucchini in quarters lengthwise and then cut the quarters in half crosswise. You'll have large pieces of zucchini about 2 to 3 inches long.

Dear SOS: I recently "rediscovered" La Grande Orange in Pasadena's Del Mar station and absolutely love its kale and quinoa salad - it's light and refreshing, although sometimes it is a bit too heavy on the dressing.... I have enjoyed it often enough to know that it contains shredded kale, quinoa, diced red bell pepper, grapes, sunflower seeds and grated Manchego. I think that's everything, however, I need help with the dressing. Please, can you help me find it? Carrie Berger Via email Dear Carrie: Dark green julienned strips of kale are tossed with nutty quinoa and sunflower seeds, colorful bell pepper and red grapes, then dressed with a bright Champagne vinaigrette.

Boozy ice cream for when you have the flu? Ohio-based small-batch ice cream maker Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is making the news this flu season with one of its most popular winter flavors -- Influenza Sorbet, made with honey, ginger, orange and lemon juices, Maker's Mark bourbon and cayenne pepper.  Influenza Sorbet is no flu cure, but owner Jeni Britton Bauer told ABC News that the ice cream flavor inspired by a drink her grandmother made...

It's edging toward midnight and John Gless is keeping a wary eye on the thermometer as he patrols his family's 450 acres of citrus orchards outside Hemet. The temperature hovers just above 30 degrees as he maneuvers his Ford F-250 pickup through the dark canyons between 18-foot trees of Valencia and navel oranges. A few degrees colder, as the forecast predicts, and the millions of dollars of citrus dancing in his headlights will start to freeze. "You worked hard all year to get your crops, and there's a chance you'll lose it all tonight," said 29-year-old Gless, a fourth-generation citrus farmer.