The Okanagan Table: The Art of Everyday Home Cooking

Veteran chef and restaurateur Butters debuts with a gorgeous cookbook so full of sumptuous photos that readers may be tempted to keep it on their coffee tables. But he writes, “I want you to get this book dirty.” The book celebrates the region where Butters lives and works: British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, known for its salmon, wine, and abundant fruits and vegetables. The recipes range from simple ones for novice cooks—homemade granola, a sockeye salmon BLT with made-from-scratch mayo—to complex ones that will challenge advanced home chefs, including venison carpaccio and bamboo-steamed fish in curry. They all represent Butters’s farm-to-fork philosophy and deep appreciation of flavorful combinations. Each recipe begins with an informative paragraph on how and why it came about, what it’s good for, and why it includes some ingredients. For example, Butters writes that “the oddest ingredient in [a turkey and nut burger] has to be the peanut butter. Trust me on this one: it works.” These conversational notes bring Butters’s personality into his readers’ kitchens. The recipes also contain suggestions for pairing dishes with beer or wine. This is a fun book that will encourage home cooks to try something new. (Oct.)