Destined to become a well-thumbed guide to casual yet sophisticated eating, The Lesley Stowe Fine Foods Cookbook dishes up the well-known Vancouver caterer and fine food maven’s own favourite recipes. Lesley Stowe, a classically trained French chef, started her own catering company two decades ago. An instant success, Lesley recognized that West Coast palates were ready for their very own slice of fine food heaven, and the Lesley Stowe Fine Food Shop was born. There, she sold her own freshly prepared starters, salads, soups, mains and sweets. Now, with a new location, Lesley concentrates on rolling out her nationally popular Raincoast Crisps while still satisfying appetites with her signature foods.

Stowe’s casually elegant yet easy recipes will tempt home cooks and entertainers. From starters such as Beaujolais Figs with Prosciutto and Cambozola to mains such as Summer Spaghettini with Fresh Corn and Grape Tomatoes, andChicken Breasts stuffed with Muffaletta and Chèvre, the book also includes inventive seafood, sides and fabulously decadent desserts—including “Death byChocolate,” which Lesley invented (and wishes she’d trademarked).

With Lesley’s savvy West Coast style, anecdotal sidebar tips, plus 16 pages of colour photos, this new favourite tips its chef’s hat to the successful tradition of The Silver Palate Cookbook and The David Woods Cookbook.