Winter means citrus

...and specifically, those California Cuties clementines that take over the stores around here. They are snack-sized, easy to peel and sweet sweet sweet. I usually eat three at a time as a tv-watching alternative to popcorn. They are like candy, and it only takes a little to turn them into fancy dessert for entertaining. I bought a kit of the ingredients as a birthday present for my friend Tim, who doesn't eat sugar (but has a sweet tooth):

-peel a bunch of clementines. Get the little extra white strings off, if you can.
-arrange them on a plate or entertainment platter (blue tones offset the orange)
-put your thumb over the opening of a bottle of orange blossom water and sprinkle over the smiles. Just enough to moisten them. I found orange blossom water at the middle eastern market in San Luis Obispo, back in the SLO days, but since then I've found it at the natural foods store.
-if you are okay with sugar, sprinkle powdered sugar over the clementine smiles. I get an even sprinkling by pouring the sugar into a sieve or mesh strainer, then tapping the side of the sieve as I move it over the smiles.
-do the same with powdered cinnamon.

That's it! The platter looks festive, it smells great, and it's equally well received at potlucks, holiday parties, or by the coterie of regulars who come over for a casual night of cards.