OP: Citron and Framboise (2 vols)

Éditions de La Martinière, 2017. Flexibound. Near Fine.

Once the creative director of famed French bakery Fauchon, pastry chef Christophe Adam eventually came to be known for his innovative, award-winning, and stunning éclairs. Adam’s nose for striking presentations has made him an Instagram sensation.

Both of these compact (9” x 7”, 126 pages) books are part of a series produced by Adam with focus on a particular fruit, in this case the lemon and the raspberry. At only ninety recipes between the two volumes, the pastry chef’s expertise is on full display. From Framboise we see everything from a crème brûlée, a pavlova, and a black raspberry buckwheat crepe with salted butterscotch to a raspberry-forward caprese salad and raspberry cocktails.

Citron’s range includes a tapioca and rice pudding garnished with avocado, mango, finger lime, and micro shiso; a lemon-yuzu éclair; lemon-lime tiramisu; a vibrant fruity and herby tabbouleh; and limoncello.

The two books were published in 2017 in French only. Our copies are Near Fine, the only flaws being what appears to be a manufacturing error causing ripples in the paper covering the spine. Approachable for both a professional pastry chef and an ambitious home baker.