At last

We spent a lot of time last spring, summer, and early fall working on this. It's coming out Labor Day week. Some really nice recipes in this volume, including terrific chowders, summer salads, favorite fruit desserts. Here's a sample.

Strawberry-rhubarb compote
Serves 8

Lightly sweetened rhubarb and strawberries, simmered together for an hour, turn into a soft pink-colored compote, which tastes dreamy with a little cold heavy cream. Serve it with a plate of simple cookies.

8 thick stalks of rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Navel orange
1 cup heavy cream (for serving)

1. In a heavy-based flameproof casserole, combine the rhubarb, strawberries and sugar.
Grate the orange rind into the pot. Halve the orange and squeeze the juice of one half into the fruit. With your fingers pull the squeezed orange membranes off the rind and add them to the pot.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the juices run. Cover and let the mixture bubble steadily over low heat, stirring often, for 30 minutes.
3. Uncover, turn the heat to medium, and continue simmering for 30 minutes or until the juices reduce and the mixture thickens.
4. Divide the mixture among 8 small bowls and pour the cold cream around the edges of each bowl. Sheryl Julian