Meyer Lemon

In this modern take on shortcake, the biscuits are filled with lemon curd, a "marmalade" made of a mixture of cooked and fresh fruit, and a spoonful of whipped cream. Keep in mind that the lemon curd needs to chill overnight.

If you have them, mason jars are a down-home way to serve the drinks.

The floral notes of Meyer lemons meld with lavender in the most heavenly way in this light, golden cake. The secret to the moistness of the tender layers is olive oil—a common ingredient in Provençal cakes—and they take well to the bright lemon curd and loose billows of lavender-honey cream.

A comforting dessert that's a cross between a soufflé and a cake.

This refreshing salad serves as a palate cleanser before dessert. Oltranti updates a traditional Italian-style salad dressing with the modern flavors of California cuisine: Floral Meyer lemon amplifies the acidity of red-wine vinegar in a bright shallot vinaigrette.

A refreshingly tart version of classic cranberry sauce. If you want it sweeter, just add more sugar.

This dessert is like a frozen mousse, which helps explain its name: semifreddo, or "half-frozen."

A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. If you can't find any, substitute regular lemons. This pie's decadent cream filling is made from protein-rich tofu.

Budino is Italian for "pudding."

Meyer lemons add a floral note, but if you can't find them, regular lemons work just fine.

Asiago frico — easy-to-make crispy cheese wafers — top this salad. Look for tender young spinach at the farmers' market. In some areas, what you find at the farmers' market may be cheaper than what's available at the supermarket. If you have a first-rate extra-virgin olive oil and some sea salt in your cupboard, here's a chance to show them off.

Improv: Instead of smoked salmon, try this with a generous dollop of caviar on the eggs, or top them with smoked trout or whitefish.

This side would be delicious with roasted chicken or broiled halibut.

The Meyer lemon's moderate acidity ties in nicely with the sweetness of the crab, though standard lemons can also be used.