The book features 26 mini essays about fruits, lesser known, combined with personal anecdotes & expressive writing about her own and friends lives. A book that blends non fiction, with literary fiction, memoir and food writing.

I really enjoyed this. It’s hard to pinpoint what this book is. Food History? memoir? Random ponderings? I enjoy books like this.

Although this was a rewarding read on that it introduced me to a range of fruits previously unknown to me, it wasn’t overly suited to the UK in terms of the measurements used in the recipe sections - I’m never sure what a ‘cup’ equates to! But it was a bold and good idea, and difficulty is an intriguing premise to build a collection of food writing around. I would seek out this author again, perhaps paired with Olivia Laing’s essays (who is herself a trained herbalist).

I began this book without realising quite how essay based it would be. That probably sounds silly, a lot of food writing is essay-based, be it confessional/authoritative/confiding or whatever else takes the writer’s fancy. I thought this was going to be more about the fruit.

It starts with the author talking about her mother’s illness and to an extent her own and how food does or doesn’t help with that. We see parts of a life in the essays, framed around an alphabetical list of Difficult Fruit which doesn’t have to be edible to be relevant. As a reader you will see a relationship that works, a family grieving, a family mystery on top, a relationship that failed, a friendship that died, a step-daughter, an aunt, a mother who reappears frequently; abortion is discussed, a performance of femininity (through vanilla of all things)… nothing is necessarily off-limits. I certainly don’t always agree with this middle-class American woman but as a writer she gives you the space to dislike her or her opinion or her behaviour as you like. So I think as I read I developed respect for her as a writer regardless.

Research went into this book, through the making of the recipes detailed, the fact-checking through old records on the history of the plants and telephoning to check the poison in cherry pits, the obtaining of most of the fruits and attempt to investigate or experiment. I’d argue W and X should not count but you’ll have to make your own mind up. I appreciated the bending of the rules for Yuzu as alternatives are given, in the same way it became familiar to read the line regarding white wine vinegar as the water is quite hard - there’s a lot of limes ale where I am too.

Lebo actually answers a question I had on my trip back from mainland Europe about icecream, she is missing a trick with Rhubarb Crumble - although I hadn’t realised the leaves are toxic - and otherwise won me over as a reader if not as a home cook (several recipes are not for food and I don’t really do preserves! but I doubt that is the point). I’d recommend this book as it’s certainly interesting and there are enough Difficult Fruits that if you disagree with an essay you can always move to the next if you must.

With thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such an interesting book covering the topic of unusual but helpful fruits. The knowledge bestowed in this book is phenomenal and the author has done a remarkable job by putting her thoughts and research into words for the readers.

I was attracted to this book because I like the idea of a memoir through food and drink and it also offered recipes - so a two for one. While it was a learning experience about different fruits - including ones I’d never heard of before like the Osage Orange, personally I found the pace of book inconsistent throughout which made it a slightly jarring experience, But if you are a big foodie, then yes, it’s definitely a book to learn from and dip into. Not one for a full sitting but instead to perhaps look at on a weekly or monthly or seasonal basis as you choose to follow the recipes that Kate has pulled together. I really enjoyed the moments of digging into the history and cultural significance of some of the fruits concerned and when Kate relayed her experiences of eating Durian and Sugarcane.

REVIEW: The Book of Difficult Fruit by Kate Lebo

The Book of Difficult fruit is an essay collection exploring twenty-six fruits, one for each letter of the alphabet. From Ariona to Zucchini. Ranging from personal essays, botanical, medical, culinary, and philosophical. It includes recipes for each fruit.

This was a bit of a weird one for me to pick up, but I have been looking for short story collections or essay collections to read on my commutes. I heard someone I watch on YouTube talk about this book so I thought I would give it a go.

This is not something I would normally pick up, but I did find it interesting. The bits I found the most interesting were the more personal parts about the authors experiences with the fruits. I found the points about marketisation of some of the fruits that are talked about in this book as ‘exotic fruits’, and how this term is rooted in colonialism.

I didn't read the recipes as I had no desire to as I had no intention of using them.

This book wasn’t a big hit for me, or something I really enjoyed but I wasn’t exactly expecting to.

The Book of Difficult Fruit, contains far more than just exasperating berries; it's a book of 26 essays, but also so much more.

I really enjoyed reading this; I loved the balance between facts, autobiography, history, and recipes.

[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]

There was something so beguiling about the title, even more so when I discovered that it was indeed a book primarily about difficult fruit. Well, it isn't just that, its also a memoir that uses those difficult fruits - and sometimes things which aren't quite fruit (vanilla beans) and are the only edible substance that begins with X. Because if there is something Kate Lebo likes in this world, beyond making pies, its structure (which to be fair making pies is very much about structure). So in and around an alphabetised discussion of how invasive blackberry bushes are, or how to prepare dandelions to eat (here called Faceclocks because D was obviously taken by Durian), we get the story of her doomed romance with a celiac, the two aunts who were removed from the family and - in L is for Lump - Cancer. And recipes. It is, as mentioned, a very singular book.

So it sits in a weird locus between memoir, alternative medicine, recipe book and natural history, though the writing is engaging on all of the subjects. The alternative medicine / plant based medicine I guess, aspect of the book is as interesting as the other parts, and takes in broad discussions of efficacy vs placebo - in the chapter on Sugarcane (a difficult fruit partially because of the legacy of slavery), she delivers a recipe for Sugar Pills so we can test our own placebo effect. The health side does give it a powerful core though, the chapter on Juniper berries is primarily about abortion (Juniper being a low level abortifacient). Lebo is a personable guide through all of this - I was getting increasingly worried that I wasn't going to discover why her aunts were estranged - and had to wait for the Yuzu chapter to find out.

The Book Of Difficult Fruit can be read through, it was enjoyable to do so - and as you can see there is a loose narrative arc to a couple of the family stories dropped in here. However the recipes and the five minute chapters mean it would also be works a a book to drop in and out of. Its an odd beast neither one thing or the other and because it takes one fruit per chapter, not even comprehensive (the Williams Pear- that most difficult to fruits to get correctly ripened - doesn't get a look in). It also suffers, as these things do, from its very American focus - not so much on the fruits which are global, but naturally of the memoir being Oregonian in the last forty years. There's a sense of place but I have heard stories like these before. Nevertheless a thoroughly enjoyable read, there is a Courgette Pickle in here I am definitely going to make, and I thoroughly approve of this kind of mash-up.

Lebo effectively uses fruit as a starting point for exploring raw feelings and offering wry observations about her life, friends, and family. Perhaps the most moving chapters are where Lebo turns inward, focusing on her hopes and dreams and how reflecting on the tastes and textures of various fruits has inspired her to write . . . A genre-blending work that will intrigue readers of literary nonfiction, personal essays, or food history.

I am still thinking about The Book of Difficult Fruit that I finished a couple of weeks back. I enjoy cooking, and am trying to reignite that this year, but I have no desire to pickle or preserve, or learn how to forage on a California trail, and yet, I was enamoured by Kate Lebo’s ability to merge the stories of such foods to her own life. This collection of essays in an A to Z in fruits that you may not have heard of. Throughout she makes deft points on the marketisation of some of these ‘exotic’ fruits, the impact of colonialism on our produce and our taste buds, whilst talking earnestly about the breakdown of a relationship, estranged family ties and learning to garden. Again, it was full of specifics and tangents, of personal stories from a person I do not know, and yet will now think of every time I garnish a drink with a juniper berry, or rifle through the produce at my local asian supermarket.

I find fruit fascinating, even though I don't grow it, cook with it or even eat much of it. I've read a few books about fruit already, but I was happy to read another. This one by Kate Lebo is more of a memoir than anything else and wasn't quite what I expected. However, it was a good read, if rather odd.

The somewhat contrived format is an A-Z of fruit, from aronia berries to zucchini. They are all 'difficult' in some way, maybe because they are very sour, or are awkward to prepare, or can make some people ill. Each of these entries is an essay about an aspect of the author's life, usually but not always relating to that fruit, plus a couple of complicated recipes with the assumption that you live in the United States and have a lot of time and money to source obscure fruit and make preserves. There are some hard-hitting topics discussed, including cancer and abortion. Wellness and illness dominate the book. The surprising, disjointed literary style was very interesting once I became used to it.

If you're looking for a history of unusual fruit, with easy-to-read descriptions and useful photographs, this book will disappoint you. If unconventional memoirs are your thing, and/or you make jams and jellies, do give it a try.

[This review will be on my blog, 18th April]

I found this book fascinating, not something I would normally have looked at but I really enjoyed reading the rather quirky information and essays on fruit. Sounds strange I know but give it a try.

This was an interesting read! I thought it would be more of a recipe book with essays about the fruits, but it definitely has a heavy memoir aspect, so bear that in mind when deciding to read it!

A really interesting and gentle book, which is great to dip in and out of. I really like how myths and personal details, and botany were interwoven

I love this book. Not only have I discovered fruit I had never heard of before, I found it fascinating to read about fruit I do know, but a less common where Kate Lebo lives (gooseberries for example).

I dipped in rather than read from cover to cover. In one chapter you might discover the darker side of Juniper Berries, in another how important huckleberries are to a native community. Kate weaves stories from her life with that of the fruit. At the end of each chapter is a recipe or two.

It's a gentle life affirming book that I can't wait to share with others.

Twenty six essays on twenty six unusual fruits although vanilla is hardly unusual these days. Nice idea though. I liked the bits about the myths and legends of the 26 as well as the botany. This latter just goes to show the problems of nomenclature within the US let alone when you come across the Pond! What I didn't like was the overly long bits about the author's personal life - I'm sorry that she and her family suffer various ailments and tragedies but am not really interested in them as most have nothing to do with the fruits of the title. Recipes are sparse. I also disliked the 8-10 pages of single, small illustrations between many of the fruits. Why not have one of the fruit that is coming next and leave it at that. Waste of page space. Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Book of Difficult Fruit by Kate Lebo is a mix of personal memoir writing and more factual information about various fruits. Some recipes are also included.