Lemon Tarts and White Burgundies or the things that keep me sane in winter.

Darlings,You all know that I absolutely loathe winter - but one thing that makes winter just a little brighter are all the delicious citrus fruits that are in season. They serve a physical function - so full of vitamin C and also serve an emotional function - the bright colors make it hard to not smile in their presence.So what do we do with all of this delicious citrus? Well, we eat it obviously, but we also make delicious things with it. One of my favorite things in life is lemon curd.  And what makes lemon curd even better? Pastry.So a snowy Saturday a few weeks ago, I set out to make a modified version of my (second)* favorite American in Paris's lemon tart for an old friend's birthday. It is a simple recipe - and the result is beautiful and a real crowd pleaser. It's just sweet enough, just tart enough and a perfect treat to end everything from a brunch to a Saturday night dinner.I suggest pouring a glass or two of a my new favorite easy drinker, Louis Latour Ardeche Chardonnay. I'm not usually a big white wine drinker. I usually prefer a luxurious red. But this has spoken to me. It's basically a white burgundy, which is my preferred white. They are easy to drink (never oaked), refreshing and lemon-y or apple-y. In France they call these wines "vin de soif," a wine for thirst.So anyway, pour a glass, put on some tunes or your new bingeworthy show, and let's get baking.WINTER WEATHER LEMON TARTIngredients3/4 c. lemon juice (you can use meyer lemons if you want, but I love the zing of an normal lemon)3/4 c. sugar12 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes4 egg yolks4 eggs1 vanilla bean, scraped3 cups fresh raspberriesone pre-baked 9-inch tart shellMethod

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized saucepan, combine eggs, egg yolks, butter, sugar and lemon juice over medium heat.
3. Stir until the butter is melted in the liquid and then whisk until the mixture holds a loose mound.
4. Stir in scrapings from vanilla bean and mix well.
5. Pour directly into the tart shell.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the curd is set.
7. Arrange raspberries in circles, hugging the sides of the tart and moving inward.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAXGKBrt_Ri/?taken-by=xoxolcf xoxolcf  *First favorite is my first roomie, but she's only an American in Paris part time...for now!