Citrus: Sweet & Savory Sun-Kissed Recipes, Reviewed

Once again it is Book Review Sunday, something that I started last week. This week’s book is Citrus: Sweet & Savory Sun-Kissed Recipes by Valeria Aikman-Smith and Victoria Pearson. I found this to be an interesting book. Unique in its subject matter with a wide variety of recipes, this is an excellent introduction for anyone who is interested in expanding their knowledge of citrus and recipe repertoire from lemons, limes, and oranges, to kumquats, yuzu, and Buddha's hand.

Loaded with bright, colorful, well composed pictures, it will have your mouth watering and make you eager to begin your citrus experimentation.

The book is divided into sections by type of fruit -- lemons, limes, oranges, etc. What this means, of course, is that all desserts are not in the same location, nor are starters, sides, or main dishes. Fortunately there is a more than adequate index to make up for this.

Largely the recipes are easy to make. I found nothing that couldn't be accomplished by the novice cook. The recipes are easy to read, the instructions easy to follow.

Citrus fruits are, of course, seasonal, so not all recipes can be made at all times, so you'll want to plan your cooking accordingly.

There is a nice balance of sweet and savory with winning recipes in each category. In the sweet category, the Candied Chocolate Mandarin slices are easy to make and absolutely delicious, but this recipe is nothing new, and I have made one similar, still it is both convenient and appropriate to have such a recipe in this collection. A savory favorite was the Lime Chicken Curry, that was restaurant quality, I thought.

The only downside of this lovely, gift-sized book is that not all of the recipes use citrus as a main component, but in a sauce or topping that may or may not be used, or, as in the case of the rather puzzling inclusion of Earl Grey Poached Pears that contain no citrus at all, just the citrus-flavored bergamot which, in my opinion, was pushing it a bit.

No cookbook exists with a recipe collection that I would like to try in its entirety, and this book is the same, but it has enough interesting offerings to make it a worthwhile addition to the shelves of any veteran or aspiring cook.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.