Book excerpt: At last it's here, a definitive cookbook starring fruit from one of America's most popular food writers, Nicole Routhier. Author of The Foods of Vietnam--awarded the Cookbook of the Year in 1990 from both the James Beard Awards and the IACP--Ms. Routhier has had a love affair with fruit since growing up in the tropics, and now she combines her passion for fruit with her culinary gifts to create 400 recipes of fruit magic. Borrowing from cuisines around the world, reinventing traditions, and adding a twist to classic pairings, Nicole Routhier presents dishes with fruits for every course. In each case her use of fruit--sweet or tart--adds an unexpected depth of flavor; a cleaner, fresher taste; and a festive, sensuous appeal. There are fruit and fruit-influenced starters: Steamed Shrimp with Roasted Pepper and Apple Dip and Fruity Bruschetta. Soups: Mexican Lime Soup, Cream of Fennel and Pear Soup. Salads: Sicilian Orange Salad, Tropical Lobster Salad. Entrees: Pepper Steak with Plum Ketchup, Braised Cranberry Pork Chops, Lemon Chicken. And of course, desserts: Sour Cherry Pie, Blackberry-Lime Parfaits, Best Raspberry Brownies. In addition, there are beverages, preserves, and chutneys; plus how to buy and store fresh fruits; boxes on exotic fruits; and suggestions for substituting one fruit for another or dried, frozen, or canned fruits for fresh.