BOOKS
The Gourmand’s Lemon – A Collection of Stories and Recipes

Lemon culture and cuisine

“Do you know the land where the lemons bloom?” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe begins one of his most famous poems with these words, and they could also be the prelude to “The Gourmand’s Lemon”. The book takes the reader on a journey into a lively world in which the lemon has much more to offer than just its sour flavour. In a mixture of art, culture and cuisine, the full versatility of the sunny yellow citrus fruit unfolds. Authors David Lane and Marina Tweed, both contributors to the English food magazine “The Gourmand”, have finally given the lemon its rightful place in collaboration with writer and art critic Jennifer Higgie.

From the Medici to the present day

“The Gourmand’s Lemon” delves deep into history, tracing the lemon’s journey from the Italian Renaissance gardens of the Medici, where it served as a status symbol, to the use of lemon juice as an invisible ink, with traces dating back to 600 AD, to its indispensable medicinal use for its high vitamin C content against the deficiency disease scurvy at sea. The authors also trace the intricate ways in which the lemon has bridged the gap between eras, geographical regions and cultures through its culinary role, and shed light on its multifaceted significance in literature for authors such as Joan Didion and James Joyce.

The lemon as a source of inspiration

The book shows how the lemon has inspired artists throughout history, from the detailed still lifes of the old masters to the avant-garde works of art icons such as Picasso and Warhol. The importance of the lemon in applied art and product design is highlighted through examples such as Philippe Starck’s famous citrus squeezer and Jif’s striking packaging for lemon juice concentrate. These examples show that the lemon, with its unique shape and bright colour, serves as a source of inspiration in many creative fields far beyond its culinary use and has long since found its way into modern aesthetics as a symbol of freshness and purity.

The culinary diversity of the lemon

The foreword by Simon Hopkinson and the introduction by Jennifer Higgie invite you to discover the culinary delights and the deeper cultural significance of the lemon. A large part of the book therefore consists of a variety of recipes, from classic cocktails to sophisticated desserts that invite culinary discovery. After reading all these insights and stories, wrapped up in a skilful blend of culinary art and cultural experiences, you have only got to know a small part of the seemingly infinite universe of the lemon. And so one is inevitably reminded of the life motto of the German actress Lotti Huber: “This lemon still has plenty of juice”.

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Further information

Further information on the book “The Gourmand’s Lemon – A Collection of Stories and Recipes” (Advertising) can be found on the Taschen-Verlag website.

Compliance

The book was kindly made available to us by the publisher. The presentation and rating of HYPERMADE remains independent of this and is based solely on the content of the book.