Feasting on Art

I tend to always have several lemons always knocking around the shelves of my pantry because they are a perfect way to add flavour and freshness to any dish. When my lemon supply starts to get out of hand I often turn to one of my favorite citrus recipes to start using up my stash. It was only a matter of time before I created a whole menu devoted to my favorite yellow fruit. As it is winter here in Sydney it is the perfect way to get a big dose of Vitamin C, essential in fighting off all the pesky colds that hang around in gloomy weather.

{Citrus Menu}

appetizer
Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

main
Lemon Risotto with Homemade stock

dessert
Orange & Lemon No Churn Ice Cream

beverage
Citrus Cordial with Fresh Mint

As soon as I saw the recipe for lime cordial on The Traveler’s Lunchbox I knew I had to make a batch. A sale on grapefruit and oranges prompted me into action and the result could not be more delicious. It became a sip of summer in my chilly Sydney flat. With Australia being my new home, I thought it was high time I featured some Australian art. Technically Weaver Hawkins is British but he was a significant artist in the 1940s in Sydney and his work is found in most of the public collections. A dynamic painting needs a dynamic drink and I find this to be the perfect partnership of art fare.

Weaver Hawkins, Little Group with Grapefruit, 1942
oil on board, 36 x 46 cm, Private collection

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I know that this is only my eighth recipe here on Feasting on Art and like the lemon & orange ice cream this risotto has a focus on citrus flavors. If you are familiar with still life paintings then you will know that the majority of them will feature a lemon somewhere on the canvas. Traditionally citrus fruits represented the wealth of the patron commissioning the painting because they were exotic commodities that required a substantial sum of money to acquire. In an era where artists were treated as craftsmen, the lemon became a test for the artist to demonstrate skill in illustrating the different manipulations of light. The paint was carefully applied to depict the lustrous light glowing from within the semi-translucent flesh of the lemon with the delicately cut peel curled in a long tendril showing a complex perspective (example here). These beautiful fruits will in all likelihood be featured many times here at Feasting on Art but like the 17th century artists, the lemon is a challenge for me to keep looking for new fresh and inspired recipes.

Giovanna Garzoni, Still Life with Bowl of Citrons, late 1640s
tempera on vellum, 27.6 x 35.2 cm, J Paul Getty Museum

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I can’t stand passing up a good bargain and last week lemons were on sale. Like my carrots from my previous post the lemons were beginning to look a bit tired. They had sat prettily in my shell shaped bowl on my counter with only one being sacrificed for a tangy lemon vinaigrette. I will try not to pick art based on the current contents of my fridge but I was craving something fresh and light and I just happened to have a heap of lemons. This week I am sticking to my American roots and I am making a no churn (the best kind) ice cream with orange and lemon and a hint of mint. The painting you ask?? Why it is by none other than the great Raphaelle Peale who is considered to be American’s first professional still life painter (1).

Raphaelle Peale, A Dessert (Still Life with Lemons and Oranges), 1814
oil on panel, 33.97 x 42.26 cm, National Gallery of Art, Washington

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