Tired of toiling over the stove in the sweltering summer heat? Annoyed by the thought of spending your summer evening in the kitchen cooking dinner? Cool Kitchen is the solution. Serving up 150 recipes prepared without going near the oven or stove top, Lauren Chattman proves that a delicious no-cook meal of Summer Minestrone with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Garlic, Smoked Mozzarella Sandwiches with Lemony Olives and Peaches with Ricotta-Walnut Filling can delight, satisfy, and impress. From Honeydew and White Wine Soup to Black-Eyed Pea and Smoked Ham Salad, from Roast Beef and Rosemary Mushrooms on Focaccia to Chocolate-Cherry Sundaes, this book is filled with soups and starters, mains and desserts -- all prepared in little time and with little effort. Written in an easy style with readily available ingredients, Cool Kitchen is sure to be a refreshing addition to anyone's summertime cooking. Cool Kitchen offers 125 recipes that are enjoyable even when the weather is not overheated. Lauren Chattman has an inventive way with familiar uncooked foods like pesto, slaws, sandwiches, and fruit desserts. The brief section on pantry staples is a useful guide that will surely spark other no-cook ideas. She cheats occasionally by using store-bought smoked turkey and smoked salmon and purchased or leftover roast beef and chicken. Menus help you assemble 15 meals for various occasions almost without cooking. (One wonders who cooks the pasta for two of Chattman's dinners or the chicken for her barbecue.) Sure-fire recipes are Curried Chickpea Spread in a Pita, White Gazpacho, and the Rum Raisin Sundae. --Dana Jacobi Summer gives everyone an appetite for fresh-tasting food made with the beautiful produce from local farmstands. But who wants to slave over a hot stove in order to enjoy the bright, clean flavors of the season? This summer, let Lauren Chattman teach you to cook without heating up the house. COOL KITCHEN: No Oven, No Stove, No Sweat! shows you how to make great-tasting meals for family and friends without losing your cool. COOL KITCHEN reveals the secrets of great cooking without heat. Combining just a few quality ingredients in interesting ways, the recipes are masterpieces of cool minimalism. Tired of toiling over the stove in the sweltering summer heat? Annoyed by the thought of spending your summer evening in the kitchen cooking dinner? Cool Kitchen is the solution. Serving up 150 recipes prepared without going near the oven or stove top, Lauren Chattman proves that a delicious no-cook meal of Summer Minestrone with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Garlic, Smoked Mozzarella Sandwiches with Lemony Olives and Peaches with Ricotta-Walnut Filling can delight, satisfy, and impress. From Honeydew and White Wine Soup to Black-Eyed Pea and Smoked Ham Salad, from Roast Beef and Rosemary Mushrooms on Focaccia to Chocolate-Cherry Sundaes, this book is filled with soups and starters, mains and desserts -- all prepared in little time and with little effort. Written in an easy style with readily available ingredients, Cool Kitchen is sure to be a refreshing addition to anyone's summertime cooking. Lauren Chattman attended Peter Kump's Cooking School, apprenticed at Restaurant Daniel in New York, and was pastry chef at Nick and Toni's in Easthampton, Long Island. Lauren lives in Sag Harbor, Long Island. White Gazpacho Makes 6 servings This cold soup is a classic of Spanish cuisine. Almonds give it a lovely richness, and the green grape garnish prevents it from being too rich. Make sure to use sherry wine vinegar. There's no substitute for the particularly Spanish flavor it imparts. Ingredients 1 cup whole blanched almonds 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 1 1/2 cups stale Italian or French bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces 3 cups ice water 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 cup seedless green grapes Instructions 1. Place the almonds, garlic, bread pieces, and 1 cup of the water in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until a smooth paste forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl 3 or 4 times as necessary. 2. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow stream. Add the remaining 2 cups water and process until smooth. 3. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and salt. Refrigerate the soup until it is well chilled, about 1 hour. (It can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours until ready to serve.) 4. Ladle the soup into 6 serving bowls. Garnish with the grapes. Serve immediately. ---------------------------------------------------------- Baja Shrimp Salad with Avocado Dressing Makes 4 servings as an appetizer; 2 servings as a main course For me, nothing evokes the west coast of Mexico like this elemental combination of shrimp, avocado, and lime. Very good cooked shrimp can be found in the freezer case of your supermarket. The salad, lettuce and all, can be wrapped in warm corn or flour tortillas. Ingr