So many fruits; so many vegetables; so many choices. Let’s go back to basics; after all this is the year all the prognosticators said would be a year we return to basics.

Nothing is more basic (OK, acidic, got me there) than a lemon or a lime. There are varying levels of acidity among these two groups. The pink lemon, yes, it’s pink inside and besides eliciting an “ooh” response for its surprise beauty, has a similar taste to the conventional yellow. This year also seems to have produced ample availability of Meyer Lemons. Not just at fancy stores where a single “regular” lemon can prove costly, but bags of Meyer Lemons at the same price as the more common, so-called traditional lemon. Two very different products. The Meyer has a sweeter taste as it combines the flavor of a Mandarin orange and a lemon. Lovely as a boost to an otherwise, plain sparkling beverage or with any number of specialty desserts.

Then there is the lime universe. Limes are the go-to citrus for avocados and turning them into guacamole as their higher acidity levels prevent the cut avocado from turning brown right away and boost its flavor profile when chopped for guacamole or as the marinating base for ceviche dishes. Then there are the Key limes which look like mini limes but have a higher acidity quotient. Although Key West likes to claim complete credit for their origins, they are not solely grown at the tip of FL. Don’t worry if you crave Key Lime pie, there’s plenty of bottled product available at the supermarket.

I haven’t forgotten the orange, so many varieties, the grapefruit, and its newly popular cousin, the sweeter pummelo, Try them all. They help brighten the long, dark days of winter.

Citrus: So simple but with such definitional complexity.

So many choices: An easy winter refreshment.