August in New England means corn and tomatoes, tomatoes and corn. You must eat the corn on the cob, slathered with butter, sprinkled with salt. The tomatoes you can eat any way you like, though the less adulterated, the better. My preference? Sliced fat, dotted with chunky salt, and laid atop a crusty slice of French, with the thinnest layer of mayonnaise separating August's best fruit from the bread. Yum, and only minimal effort required.

Once August is over, I'm ready to get cooking. These six books, most coming out this fall, will serve to inspire.