White, a James Beard Award– winning Boston chef, went from owning a high-end restaurant to owning a casual seafood eatery (now there are three) called the Summer Shack. And in the vein of his homey cookbooks—One-Pot Meals
; Lobster at Home—
he presents this volume of summer recipes. The high quality of recipes and concern for ingredients are evident as ever, but it's the kind of food "you need to roll up your sleeves and get a little messy to truly appreciate and enjoy." White provides stellar versions of such seaside classics as Steamers Cooked in Beer, Creamy Cape Cod Clam Chowder, Fabulous Retro Shrimp Cocktail, and a Classic Maine Lobster Roll. There are also dishes with international accents—Steamed Black Sea Bass with Ginger and Scallions, Portuguese-Style Clam Stew—and old-school summer desserts like Strawberry Shortcake and Whoopie Pies, which White encourages readers to prepare in the morning "to take advantage of the clean work surfaces during the coolest part of the day." The book is filled with other helpful tips and insider chef tricks and techniques—so though it's simple and lighthearted, even hard-core cooks can learn something. (May)
