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The 10 Best Cookbooks for Summer

11:19am May 27, 2008

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Primary art — Pistachio gelato (from the appropriately titled *Gelato!*) makes for a cool, no-hassle summer dessert.

This year's collection of bright, colorful, can-do summer cookbooks issues a rallying cry: How long can you go without turning on the oven?

The answer: longer than you think, especially if you take your culinary cues from the latest crop of books, which trumpet the glories of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Less exotic than in previous years, 2008's summer cookbooks are all about finding your inner kitchen gardener. These books make the case that summer food is outdoor food: Pick it outdoors, cook it outdoors, eat it outdoors.

So if you can't afford the gas for a road trip, it's a good year to stay home and cook. Because summer blackberries, sweet basil and ripe corn are just around the corner — everything you need for a summer full of flavor.

Here are our picks of the very best summer cookbooks for 2008:

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