Pete Luckett's Complete Guide to Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Nora T. Corley is a writer and librarian in Ottawa.

Luckett, of Pete’s Frootique in the Saint John City Market, is well
known to many Canadians. He has talked about exotic and ordinary fruits
and vegetables on cbc tv’s Midday for several years, passing on his
enthusiasm for the exotic and the mundane, with tips on how to prepare
and eat them. This book is an extension of his television appearances.

An introduction, “The Greengrocer’s Guide,” describes the modern
technology that brings fresh food to our tables. A brief biography of
“Canada’s best-known greengrocer” follows. The section on
vegetables runs the gamut from artichokes to zucchini, describing 57
vegetables and their varieties, what to look for when buying them, and
recipes for using each one. From apples to white sapote, 48 fruits are
then treated in the same way. There are more than 200 recipes
altogether, many catering to the “hungry, disorganized cook.”

This attractive book is informative, entertaining, and useful. Great
for the adventuresome cook, or one just looking for a new way to prepare
a familiar food, as well as for the armchair chef.