The Joy of Cookbook (Pictures)

As with many of my failed, yet well-intentioned efforts in the fine art of gift giving, a christmas present for one of my friends somehow ended up in the pile of "things never mailed" and I stumbled upon it yesterday in my living room.  The cookbook (for my foodie friend) called Lucid Food looks like it belongs on a beautifully designed table  display at Anthropologie or at the adorable Brooklyn store Eponymy.

While my cooking extends little beyond ordering takeout and artfully arranging it on a pretty plate, I do adore the recipes and images in this cookbook.  The author Louisa Shafia has a great blog as well for those who can actually create the beautiful food that adorns their plates.

The beautiful recipes that she derives from fresh, local, seasonal ingredients make me crave dishes from one of my favorite New York City restaurants that seemingly possesses the same food philosophy.

Hundred Acres is a delightful place that my friends and I stumbled upon in the fall when the seasonal produce lent itself to a menu of mouthwatering fried green tomatos and a to-die-for macaroni and cheese...Ahhh...LOVE those blissfully balmy fall days when al fresco dining is a must on the agenda.

Here's to summer strolling through farmer's markets, evening oyster dinners outside, chilled white wine, and the summer fantasies of delivering all christmas gifts in a timely manner...