IT'S ABOUT TIME: Great Recipes for Everyday Life

The reference to time in this work's title has multiple meanings for Schlow, executive chef of Boston's Radius. The author divides his book into eight "times," or moods: Chapter Two, for example, is titled "Time to Get the Family Together," while Chapter Seven, "Time to Look Like a Pro," teaches readers how to pull off dishes that look as if they require far more time to prepare than they actually do (e.g., Tomato Confit). The foods benefit from Schlow's substantial experience in both French and Italian cooking, although the range of cuisines he covers is wide, as the chapter on barbecue attests. Schlow is invested in handing over the reins in the kitchen to readers, not basking in his own glory (he was a James Beard Award winner in his first year of eligibility), so a fair number of the recipes knowingly cater to cooks who are not CIA-trained. Schlow also uses "time" quite specifically; he advocates slow cooking for certain dishes. Slow Roasted Salmon with Cabbage, Bacon and Dill, for example, is cooked in a 250-degree oven. Not all of Schlow's recipes pertain to his subtitle; his Hamachi Tartare with Warm Scallion Compote and Caviar hardly seems like an "everyday life" kind of concoction, but his jazzy, engaging humor may encourage curious readers to attempt his more difficult creations. (Apr. 19)