My latest indulgence is Colorado Organic, the seasonal-eating cookbook of local photographer Jennifer Olson. The recipes--think strawberry-almond crème tart from Patrick DuPays (Z Cuisine) and fava bean purée from Teri Rippeto (Potager)--are mouthwatering, but the stunning photos are reason enough to buy the book. Shots of beets still clinging with earth and jars of jewel-like cherry tomatoes inspire me to ready the garden for planting.

Broken down by season, the book presents stories of Colorado chefs, farmers, and ranchers all committed to the local and organic movement. The idea here, is to not only make use of local harvests via the recipes, but to understand where those peas, radishes, and rib-eye steaks come from.

Bonus: Colorado Organic is all at once a cookbook, a coffee table fixture, and a resource guide. The last seven pages detail Olson's favorite restaurants, farms, ranches, orchards, and bakeries that are conducting business in a local, sustainable manner.