“Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh”

by Emeril Lagasse (HarperStudio, $24.99)

What it is: A quieter, kinder and greener Emeril is on view in this book, a collection of kitchen-friendly recipes emphasizing local, seasonal ingredients.

Praise and quibbles: There’s always been a serious side to Lagasse, of course. One doesn’t become a successful businessman with 13 restaurants, write multiple cookbooks and star in a long-running television show without sizable smarts and a keen passion.

Still, there were times the hard-working chef seemed to “bam” all of it to one side in an attempt to appear energetically telegenic. It’s good to report there’s a balance to him here. Lagasse is serious yet accessible, committed to local and artisan foods, but not over the top, either.

The recipes reflect this; they aren’t so daunting that only the skilled will attempt them. His passion will appeal as much to the ordinary consumer as the gastro-purist. The 152 recipes are divided into groupings like “leafy greens”; “the three sisters: corn, beans and squash”; and “nightshades” (breathe easy, that means tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplants). There are meat, poultry and seafood recipes, but the emphasis is blessedly on vegetables and fruit.

Why you’ll like it: This simple, easy-to-handle and usable cookbook is a refreshing change from the oversize, overweight cookbook-as-magnum-opus found on so many bookstore shelves.