new recipe books.
The booklist
The best cookbooks communicate passion through the pages and Mark Diacono’s picks do just that, whether about Italian lemons, Eastern European traditions or mixed-heritage cooking
A BIT ABOUT MARK DIACONO
If there’s anyone more obsessed with growing, cooking, eating and writing about food than Mark, we’re yet to find them. His books, such as Sour (2019), have won awards, so he knows a goodie when he sees one. Read his Substack, Mark Diacono’s Garden To Table, or follow him on Instagram @mark_diacono
BOOK OF THE MONTH
FOR THE LOVE OF LEMONS
If you have any of Letitia Clark’s books, you’ll be unsurprised to learn that her latest – a love song to lemons – has sunshine and deliciousness dripping from every page. Written and photographed in Sardinia, where she lives, the book beautifully captures the mutual love between Italy and lemons, and Clark scatters history, stories and personal asides through the book like grated zest. Whether lemons are the central ingredient or playing more of a supporting role, the recipes are a delight: crisp salads; enticing pasta dishes (creamy lemon linguine, right, was my first of, I suspect, many); desserts such as lemon tiramisu; drinks (the amaretto sour particularly caught my eye); and even dishes where the leaves do the talking. A special book where the words, recipes and photography are in perfect harmony.