cover image THE CAPE COD TABLE

THE CAPE COD TABLE

Lora Brody, , photos by Susie Cushner. . Chronicle, $35 (240pp) ISBN 978-0-8118-3512-1

Brody's love of Cape Cod is used to great effect in her latest book, painting a loving portrait of the Massachusetts peninsula so beloved by vacationers and residents alike. In the wonderful introduction she provides almost a travel guide to the Cape just by focusing on the food found there. Concentrating on the wealth of local fresh ingredients, some obvious, like the abundant seafood, others less so, like the blueberries used with great effect in The Best Blueberry Muffins, Brody (The Kitchen Survival Guide; Basic Baking) produces a wonderful array of dishes. Each chapter opens with commentary about the people and places encountered, and each recipe has descriptions where relevant along with helpful tips. Ranging from breakfast through the customary appetizers and main courses to condiments, the recipes have a clean, fresh feel in both appearance and finished results in eye-catching photographs. From the simplicity of the Scrambled Eggs with Lox, Onions, and Peppers, where the vegetables give the dish a new twist, and the almost Mediterranean feel of the Cod Baked with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, the recipes are redolent of lazy summer days that can carry over and add summer sunshine to the rest of the year. These carefully considered recipes, coupled with the beautiful layout and food photos, make the book suitable for coffee table and kitchen alike. (June)