“Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh”By Emeril LagasseHarperStudio, $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 fruits.Why you’ll like it: This simple, easy-to-handle and use cookbook is a refreshing change from the over-size, overweight cookbook-as-magnum opus found on so many bookstore shelves.

Photo by MCCLATCHYT