Book excerpt: Bill Telepan is passionate about ingredients. He wants to know where his food comes from and how it's cared for before it finds its way into his pots and pans and onto the table. A familiar face at greenmarkets, he personally knows the men and women who sell there. He buys locally and cooks seasonally. Hailed by Gourmet magazine as "one of the most thoughtful chefs in Manhattan," Telepan says, "It's about flavor first," and creates inventive, mouthwatering dishes that celebrate the seasons and showcase the best that local farmers have to offer. In Inspired by Ingredients: Market Menus and Family Favorites from a Three-Star Chef, Telepan, who was chef of Midtown Manhattan's JUdson Grill for six years and cooked at such three- and four-star restaurants as Le Bernardin, Le Cirque, and Gotham Bar and Grill, shares his passion in a cookbook that is both exciting and resoundingly practical; it is full of bold, enticing flavors and sound everyday advice for shopping and cooking. There are chapters for every season, each composed of three theme menus, a special-occasion menu, a make-ahead meal, as well as recipes grouped by ingredient or technique, such as peas in the spring and preserving in the summer. The chapter Dishes for All Seasons includes recipes that satisfy no matter what the calendar says; and there are classics from Bill's restaurant menus, such as The Chicken and Potato-Crusted Crab Cakes. Whether it's a dessert inspired by a favorite childhood treat or a fresh, elegant twist on spaghetti carbonara, each dish is wonderfully appealing and truly delicious. There are profiles of Bill's favorite farmers and suppliers, and wine notes from distinguished wine expert Beth von Benz accompany each recipe. Illustrated with Quentin Bacon's glorious photographs, Inspired by Ingredients brings the freshest flavors of the market to the table and will inspire home cooks everywhere.