These days lemons are a part of our culinary lives, but there was a time not long ago when these were seen as exotic fruit. People would return from Italy on holiday in the 1950’s with tales of trees laden with fruit, inhaling the heady aroma that the fruit gives.

And it is to Italy that Atlee takes us. From the Sicilian terraces full of mandarins and blood oranges, to the Southern Italian groves full of the huge citron and bergamonts. She visits the perfumed gardens of Liguria to see their particularly sour chinotti and witnesses the festival in Ivrea where the inhabitants throw 400 tonnes of oranges at each other. Along her journey she draws together the history of the places and the fruits, sips limoncello on sun soaked terraces, discovers new pastas, meets Rabbis choosing perfect citrons, but mostly lets these fruits permeate her soul.

I really enjoyed this. Atlee writes with authority and confidence on her subject, talking about the Arabs who brought the fruits to Italy, to the modern organised crime syndicates who controlled the Scillian trade. All the way through she manages to evoke the feel and atmosphere of the places that she visits, and on a damp day in the UK there is no place that I would rather be than a sun drenched piazza in Italy. ( )

The Land Where Lemons Grow is, as the subtitle would suggest, a book about Italy and citrus. The author, whose specialty is gardens, travels around Italy exploring the local culture from the far north to Sicily. This is not just about places that grow citrus, but also those who use it, whether they be Orthodox Jews seeking perfect citrons for Sukkot, the Battle of the Oranges during Carnival in the northern town of Ivrea, or perfumers seeking the perfect bergamont. The reader discovers local delicasies, historical gardening trends, and all kinds of interesting facts about the citrus family.

There is lots of travelling here, but there are maps in each chapter, so you never get lost. This is something I found extremely handy. For anyone with an interest in citrus, Italy, gardening, or history, I can highly recommend it. ( )