Sweet and tart are two words that are frequently used to describe citrus because they perfectly capture the basic flavor of fruits like lemons, limes and oranges. While each citrus has a unique flavor, all possess sweet and tart elements that make them fun (and tasty) to work with in the kitchen. In Sweet and Tart: 70 Irresistible Recipes with Citrus, you’ll find plenty of ways to put fresh citrus to good use.
Citrus is often added to recipes as an accent flavor, to contrast with berries or add some dimension to chocolate. In these recipes, citrus takes on a starring role and you’ll get lots of it in each and every bite – though there are plenty of other flavors in the recipes along with the citrus! The recipes are not broken down by fruit, so you won’t find a chapter of lemon recipes. Instead, the recipes are divided up by type and chapters include categories such as bars, cookies, cobblers, tarts, cakes, frozen desserts, muffins and scones. While the book focuses on desserts and baked goods, there is a chapter on savory citrus dishes that will get you thinking outside of the dessert box. Personally, I like the sweeter slant to the recipes and that makes this book a nice addition to my cookbook collection.
The recipes are beautifully illustrated with photos of the finished dishes and there is plenty of color from both the juice and rinds of the various citrus fruits. In addition to lemon, lime and orange recipes, you’ll also see recipes that use specific varieties of citrus, such as blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges or Meyer lemons. There is a lot of variety in the recipes and you’re sure to find at least a few new ways to enjoy citrus, as well as favorites like lemon bars and quick breads. If you are a citrus-lover, you can’t go wrong here.
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