Community cookbook collectors, here's one for your library: "Cookin' With the Class of 20 Seniors" from the University Lab School. It's a fundraiser for its class of 2010 Project Grad fund. For anyone familiar with old-style community cookbooks, this one is revealing of contemporary life: Most recipes call for just a few ingredients, many make use of commercial products and, thanks to today's desktop publishing wizardry, the book features student photos throughout.

Special attractions include an endearing chapter, "Surviving on Your Own," aimed at graduates. And, as always, there are several recipes worth the whole price of the book — if only for amusement value. One such is Uncle Harvey's butter-fried donuts: Melt butter, add day-old donuts, flatten and fry. Oh, my!

To buy the 392-page spiral-bound book, $18, call Jodi at 228-9076 or e-mail uhspg2010cookbook@msn.com.

NEW FOODIE SHOW

ERIC RIPERT HITS THE ROAD ON PBS

Celebrity chef Eric Ripert of New York's Le Bernardin and "Top Chef" judging fame will host his own traveling cooking show beginning this fall on PBS.

Shot in high definition, the 10-episode series, "Avec Eric" ("With Eric") is designed to show the farmers, food producers, winemakers, fishermen and others who keep the chef inspired and to explore not only how to cook, but why we do, and why we should — the meaning of food in our lives.

The series travels from Northern California to Tuscany and on to other beautiful locales. It debuts Sept. 6; check local listings for air time. For a sneak peek, go to www.aveceric.com.

— Wanda A. Adams

‘MY ISLAND PLATE’ ONLINE

Find food editor Wanda Adams’ “My Island Plate” blog online every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at www.honoluluadvertiser.com/islandlife.