Cooking from Scratch: 120 Recipes for Colorful, Seasonal Food

Founded by 15 Seattle families in 1953, the Puget Customers Co-op, known as PCC, has been at the forefront of the local and organic movement for some time, and the group’s history and experience shine in this excellent collection of recipes designed to make the most of fresh local ingredients. Though some dishes will resonate strongest with Seattle locals, such as the Dutch Baby, a baked pancake with crispy edges and a puffy center that was invented in that city, there are plenty of creative riffs like carrot cake waffles, butternut squash apple soup, and roasted brussels sprouts in a tangy Caesar dressing. The book has a fair share of common dishes (scones, lentil soup, walnut-beet salad, etc.), but most recipes are delicious diversions: roasted cherry, chorizo, and orzo salad; pomegranate molasses grilled chicken; cornmeal, parmesan, and thyme crackers; and a kimchi Bloody Mary. Devotees of co-ops and farmers markets will appreciate the superb assortment of flavorful options as well as their relative simplicity in terms of sourcing and preparation. This is a truly delightful cookbook that focuses on whatever seasonal produce one might have on hand. (Sept.)