Caterer and artist Susan Simon has written an unlikely book - an autobiographical book about vegetables. It's one of two new books that capitalize on the visual appeal of produce.
"The food is not stuff I particularly use now in my catering business, they're things collected over the years. It's the biography of how I came to be what I'm doing now," she says. "They all mean something to me, some more than others."Her "Visual Vegetables: Appetizing Images and Recipes for Cooks" (Clarkson N. Potter, $20) is a fanciful book that actually is not all about vegetables. Each recipe (for vegetables, soups, fish, fruits and desserts) is part of a drawing, and each is accompanied by a tale about the food.
"Fruit: A Connoisseur's Guide and Cookbook" (Simon and Schuster, $30) combines the writing of Alan Davidson and the painting of Charlotte Knox to capture food that has inspired poets and painters for centuries.
Organized by botanical groups, fruits are described in straightforward prose that includes the history and uses. Recipes are grouped together at the end. The illustrations are bold and do much to enhance the information.