citrus season

its high citrus season here in the desert.  what's that you say?  how can citrus live in the desert when the fruit is mostly water??  interesting question...  hmm, that is perhaps one reason that there's basically no water left in the colorado river....

but anyway, it means that right now a lot of people have more citrus than they know what to do with.  here at hermosa place condominiums, we have easy access to oranges and what i think are tangerines (not great for eating anymore, but super still juicy!).  there's also a lame lemon tree.  but down the street in some unknown persons' front yard is the real lemon tree, which is loaded.  or was til i picked all the lemons i could reach.  i will have to go back with tim should i need more lemons.  my friend teresa has what is apparently called a "cocktail tree", where they have grafted it so its half lemons and half grapefruits.   she literally has more grapefruit than she knows what to do with, because who really eats all that much grapefruit?  so i have relieved her of some and been experimenting with all sorts of citrus things. 

so far i have made citrus syrup, lemon pie, lemon-poppy seed cake, grapefruit curd and a grapefruit loaf.  i am finding that you can more or less substitute one citrus for another.  however, grapefruit tends to have less flavor per volume so maybe you should concentrate the juice before you use it for extra flavor goodness.  but even if you don't, it tastes good.