Apples: A Cookbook

In a second collaboration between chef and food stylist Berkley and photographer Jacobson ( Berries ), apples star in every stage of the menu, from soups and accompaniments to desserts (where one would expect the apple to shine) and entrees, where the apple even submits to stuffing (as in baked Cortland apples with yam filling). Beautifully photographed food, shot mainly in casual settings, does justice to the recipes. Some--like oatmeal pancakes with Jonathan apples and pecans--are strictly comfort food; others reflect a current craving for ``light and healthy.'' Still others, like barbecued shrimp with Jonathan apple and quince chutney, demonstrate the author's flair for the full-flavored and exotic. This volume's main flaw is that while Berkley claims a ``lavish variety of apples . . . 2,500 available in the United States alone,'' not many markets carry all of the varieties he calls for. It would have been handy to supply substitions in some cases, or advice on how to adjust ingredients should only Red Delicious or Granny Smiths be ripe and ready. (Aug.)