The humble lemon has been valued for its flavor as well as its preservative effect since medieval times, which has made it a sought-after ingredient for both sweet and savory recipes. As many cooks know, lemon brings out the flavors of other ingredients and makes the finished dish taste fresher and brighter.
In For the Love of Lemons: Italian-Inspired, Sweet and Savoury Recipes, author, chef and artist Letitia Clark (Bitter Honey) highlights these and many more of lemon’s beneficial qualities in a series of recipes featuring the aromatic and extremely versatile fruit. Each of the six chapters has a decidedly different focus. “Lost in Leaves” collects recipes incorporating lemon leaves, like the baked, breadcrumbed lemon leaf chicken. This pairs very well with the lemony fennel and potato puree, classically comforting mashed potatoes with an added zing, found in the chapter titled “A Squeeze of Lemon.” And speaking of classics, the “Sweet Lemons” chapter includes a lemon meringue pie recipe that features an easy, almondy pastry crust, tangy curd filling and sweet meringue topping.
Other sections highlight lemon beverages, preserved lemons and even how to use lemons medicinally. Historical, cultural and nutritional information is liberally sprinkled throughout the sidebars and recipe headings. As a British expat living in Sardinia, Clark leans heavily into her own personal attraction to the bright yellow citrus, particularly its use in Mediterranean cooking. She helpfully gives ingredient name and measurement adaptations for the American reader (for example, explaining that rocket is arugula, providing oven temperature translations from Celsius to Fahrenheit and converting grams and milliliters to cups and ounces). Colorful photos of the recipes and the Italian countryside lend vivid context to the dishes.
I have always thought that lemon is one of the most underrated flavors and can be an incredible workhorse in the kitchen. For the Love of Lemons gives this fragrant and valuable food the elevated status it so deserves. “A love for lemons is a love for a lifetime, something that can delight and bring deliciousness to every dish and every day,” writes Clark. It’s a mantra to live by.
