Plenty

Book by McLachlan, Sarah, Laurita, Jamie, Laurita, Jaime

Ravenous Sarah McLachlan fans will be happily sated by this sophisticated cookbook-cum-fan letter. With Plenty: A Collection of Sarah McLachlan's Favourite Recipes, the Canadian musician reveals the inventive ways she copes with touring hardships: by taking refuge in Full of Grace Soufflé, Sweet Surrender Lobster, and Grandma's Upside-Down Apple Tart, to name just a few.

To make this possible, McLachlan hired a professional chef to cook for her band and crew while on tour--Jaime Laurita, trained at the Culinary Institute of America. In collaboration, McLachlan and Laurita share meat-free recipes that borrow from Thai, Mediterranean, Italian, and Japanese cookery--all heavy on veggies and fish. Organized neatly into appetizers, entrées, and desserts and beverages, these recipes are suitable for courageous novice cooks and home chefs alike. The appealing presentation includes color photographs of the exotic ingredients, such as galangal and gooseberry, and shots of creative serving suggestions.

Generous additions of material from McLachlan take this book beyond the mere cookbook classification. While waiting for the vinegar to reduce when making Penne Pasta in Balsamic Cream, Sarahphiles can indulge in photographer Kharen Hill's color and black-and-white concert shots, candid everyday photos of tour and home life, and McLachlan's own commentary on almost every luscious dish. She has this to say of Writer's Block Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies: "When trying to write songs after experiencing writer's block, one sure-fire remedy is baking cookies. It's easy and they always turn out great. I can't say it makes the songs come any easier, but it does cheer me up!" This culinary gift to fans and lovers of sophisticated food sings its own song of plenty. --Stefanie Durbin