Advice Column Defends Bottled Citrus Juice in Cooking, Not Raw Use

In a New Yorker advice column, Helen Rosner responds to a reader's question about using bottled citrus juice in cooking and cocktails. The reader, K.P. from Manhattan, recently moved in with a partner who criticized the use of bottled lemon and lime juice. Rosner defends the use of bottled juice in cooked dishes, noting that it is largely indistinguishable from fresh when used in complex curries or braised meats, and suggests vinegar as a substitute. However, she advises against using bottled juice raw, recommending fresh citrus or cold-pressed juices like those from Twisted Alchemy for raw applications. She also recommends the Fluicer, a manual juicer, for efficient extraction. The column also includes a brief answer to a second question about hosting a birthday dinner at a restaurant, suggesting a round table, family-style ordering, no presents, cocktails, and toasts.