#Hamptons food shop Loaves & Fishes launches 12 cookbooks

When it comes to mainstay stomping grounds in the Hamptons for the who’s who, Loaves & Fishes needs no introduction. The upscale Sagaponack food store has been the caterer and to-go meal spot of choice for the likes of Aerin Lauder, Jimmy Fallon, Ina Garten and other boldfacers since the late Anna Pump opened it in 1980.

Today, her daughter and Loaves’ current owner, Sybille van Kempen, adds another feather to the shop’s illustrious cap: Since last June, she and co-executive chef Licia Kassim Householder have written and published 12 cookbooks — one for each month of the year.

The pretty, petite hardcover “Farm Series” cookbooks include 20 recipes, each illustrated with luscious photography and featuring a local grower or family-run food business from the North and South Forks that Loaves & Fishes partners with throughout the year.

“Despite the glamour, the Hamptons has a rich history as a farming region, and the farms are still very much at the heart of its character today, which is what I wanted to show off,” says van Kempen.

Her fresh series is sold in trios by season for $50 per set, or $200 for all 12, and celebrates the best ingredients available each month.

Summer kicks off with the “Green Thumb” tome, which highlights produce such as strawberries, cherries, beets and carrots grown at the Halsey family’s organic farm in Water Mill.

“The Halseys were one of the first purveyors to bring the concept of farm stands to the Hamptons,” says van Kempen. “They listened to what their customers wanted and displayed everything beautifully to sell. Others followed their lead, and now, farm stands define the Hamptons today.”

Recipes include an Asian Carrot Slaw With Radicchio and Snow Peas, which van Kempen says is a “breeze” to make, and pairs beautifully with grilled shrimp, chicken or tofu. There’s also her mother’s favorite Strawberry Open-Faced Sandwich With Fresh Ricotta. Have it for breakfast, she suggests, or an anytime snack.

The main goal of her series is to support local businesses and encourage families and friends to gather around the table together. “These farmers are my friends and have become my family over the years,”says van Kempen. “The cookbooks invite them into your home, too.”