Farm to Fork

Ignore the labored title and forgive his first sentence, “I have had a connection with the soil since I was a young boy.” This is simply another of Lagasse's highly competent creations, full of flavorful recipes presented with simplicity and minimal chitchat. The third in a 10-book series ordered up by Harper Studio back in 2008, the celebrity chef this time goes green, with a focus on using fresh, local ingredients. This collection focuses on fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and seafood, with just a little poultry and pork thrown in for good measure. Chapters are broken out as if dividing up a garden. Corn, beans, and squash over here; broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower over there. Leafy greens, root vegetables, and orchard fruits all get their due, with space left for winter fruits and nightshades. Among the 152 offerings, one can dish up lemon-scented blueberry pancakes for breakfast; Emeril's roasted beet salad, along with perhaps an eggplant relish crostini for lunch; and a dinner of, say, creamy turnip soup, braised broccoli rabe, and gumbo with smoked ham and wild rice. Dessert choices include pumpkin custard pie and apricot clafouti. Wash it all down with some watermelon limeade or enjoy a nightcap after the nightshades, like a pink lady apple martini. (June)