Fresh from the Farmers' Market: Year-Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, mouth watering (from a ex-Berkeley foodie)
Review: I can't browse this book without getting hungry. It hits the nail on the head, especially for us East Bay locals

Rating:
Summary: The Best of Fruits and Veggies
Review: I started frequenting my local farmer's market after a stint living in Greece, where shopping at the open-air stalls taught me how good produce COULD be. This book is a treasure for anyone who has access to great veggies or grows their own; divided by season, it's full of delicious recipes showcasing produce at its very best.

Everything I've made from here has been very good; I have a pot of the yellow split-pea soup with squash and kale in the refrigerator right now. I also really like the turnip and turnip greens soup, which lets you use both good things together. And then there's roasted asparagus, which I must make at least once a month throughout asparagus season.

The only reason I haven't given this book five stars is because there are too many things here I would not make. Fletcher's recipes can be a little too "restauranty" -- too elaborated, too many strongly flavored ingredients cancelling each other out. I prefer, given great ingredients, to present them simply and let their flavors take center stage. Still, for magnificent food photography and good eating, plus nice tips on how to choose the best of the market, this book is hard to beat. A good addition to any cook's shelf -- and if it inspires you to patronize your local farmer's market, so much the better!

Rating:
Summary: lovely
Review: This is a lovely book, though I haven't yet tried many of the recipes. I use it not only for the recipes, but also for ideas on what to grow in my garden. It's also changed the way I cook corn: the roasted corn and garlic soup started me roasting corn in the husk instead of boiling it. Delicious!