The debut outing from Laurie Pfalzer (formerly the pastry chef at Salish Lodge and Spa, currently an educator at PCC Markets) beckoned strongly with its cover of grilled apricots. (I have a sweet tooth that has no bounds.) Simple Fruit: Seasonal Recipes for Baking, Poaching, Sautéing, and Roasting focuses on knowing when to enjoy fruit “at its peak flavor,” and is conveniently organized seasonally, which also serves as a way of knowing what’s in season in the Pacific Northwest at any given month of the year: rhubarb and strawberries in the spring; cherries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, marionberries, apricots, peaches, and nectarines in the summer; plums, apples, and pears in in autumn; and cranberries, select citrus, and dried fruits in the winter. Paired with Charity Burggraaf’s vibrant, beautifully composed photos of the fruits that almost jump off the page and beg to be eaten, Simple Fruit is a fine addition to any PNW-geared cookbook library. by Leilani Polk