A Versatile Companion
Fruit--the Lime
"What do I do with limes?" That's the question friends asked Linda Seigel Peterson when she began sharing the bounty of 700 lime trees at La Collina Verde ("The Little Green Hill" in Italian), her family ranch set on a hillside overlooking Santa Barbara, California. A Squeeze of Lime is the result--with over a hundred recipes using limes in appetizers and drinks, soups and salads, entrées, marinades, salsas, and desserts. Linda's enthusiasm for cooking became a passion during the eighteen years she has experimented with limes and tested recipes looking for a balance between simplicity and elegance. Some recipes are lovely twists on old favorites, like Chicken Soup and Lime Shortbread Cookies; others are more exotic, like Artichoke Tapanade and Steak La Collina Verde.
As Linda points out, the benefits of limes are not limited to cooking. Did you know, for example, that a squeeze of lime in the dishwater will cut grease? Or that a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of salt rubbed on the bottom of a copper-bottom pot removes the tarnish? Or that a squeeze of lime perks up many foods on the dieter's menu and helps eliminate the need for salt? Best of all, limes are generally inexpensive and almost always available.
Peterson's family and friends inspired her to collect and pass on many recipes, and as a tribute to all who offered assistance, she has included a section of family favorites--recipes that will bring back memories of old-fashioned home cooking. The book also contains a few recipes by Linda's husband Pete, who shares her kitchen and does some tasty grilling when he is not tending the groves. Both Linda and Pete work with the University of California Extension Cooperative Agricultural Division, and have recently planted litchi and longan trees alongside the limes. UCEC monitors the trees and advises the Petersons on how to adapt these delicate Asian fruits to the moderate coastal climate. Too bad the trees are not yet bearing fruit-but then maybe that will be Linda's next cooking project. |
