Cooking from the Farmers' Market

From small towns to big cities, people all over the world love shopping at the farmers’ market. The first tender asparagus of spring, the juicy peaches of summer, the sweet butternut squash of autumn, bright winter citrus fruits: local farmstands invariably have the best-tasting produce available each season.

Williams-Sonoma Cooking from the Farmers’ Market will show you how easy and satisfying it is to practice “farm-to-table cooking” in your own home. Recipes span all courses of a meal from mouthwatering appetizers such as crisp bruschetta with spicy broccoli rabe; starters such as lemony mixed bean salad or creamy cauliflower soup; main dishes like decadent tomato and mozzarella tart or juicy pork tenderloin topped with tangy rhubarb chutney; and to end the meal, tender cornmeal shortcake piled with fragrant strawberries or luscious sour cherry pie.

The book opens with an information-packed section that includes tips for shopping and seasonal produce buying charts. Complete descriptions of over 100 vegetables and fruits—from beans and peas to leafy greens to berries and stone fruits—provide information on the peak season for each, as well as how to select, store, and work with all your favorites.

Three simple recipes follow the description of a vegetable or fruit, with each carefully crafted recipe using only a handful of other ingredients in order to showcase the produce at its best. With this book as a guide, you’ll know exactly how to put delicious, seasonal meals on your table throughout the year. Filled with lavish photographs and more than 245 inspiring recipes written by seasoned experts, this book drives home the notion that, when you choose the best quality ingredients, little effort is needed in the kitchen to help them shine.

This essential guide to produce illuminates how to identify, select, and prepare over 100 types of fruits and vegetables fresh from the market, with more than 245 recipes, including one for each ingredient. Enjoying a farmers’ market meal is only three steps away: shop for what’s fresh; cook with inspiration from these pages; and eat the delicious results.

- Features over 100 types of fruits and vegetables

- More than 245 recipes for every course showcasing seasonal flavors

- Tips for shopping at the farmers’ market

- Guide to selecting and storing fresh produce

Tasha DeSerio is a Northern California-based cooking teacher and food writer, and the co-owner of Olive Green Catering. Her writing has appeared in magazines such as Food & Wine and Fine Cooking, and she has contributed to cookbooks such as Chez Panisse Fruit, Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook, The Pleasures of Slow Food, and Fields of Plenty.
Jodi Liano (spokesperson) is an author, recipe developer, and cooking instructor at Tante Marie's Cooking School in San Francisco. She managed the development of Tante Marie's Cooking School Cookbook and is the author of Williams-Sonoma New Flavors for Vegetables. She has also worked as a television food stylist, including a stint with the Food Network.
Jennifer Maiser is a San Francisco-based food advocate and writer. She is the editor of the website EatLocalChallenge.com, which encourages readers to support local farmers and producers. Her writing has also appeared in magazines such as Edible San Francisco and Fine Cooking.