Dining in France

This companion volume to the PBS-TV series of the same name is a paean to French cookery and culture. Despite the puffery and snobbishness, gourmets and Francophiles should enjoy food critic Millau's chatty, anecdotal gastronomic tour, as well as the culinary creationsi.e., fillet of venison with red wine and raspberries; truffle ravioli with wild mushroom cream sauce; sea urchins with artichokes. More than 150 sumptuous color photographs illustrate the volume, and works of art like striped bass in pastry and chocolate mousse squares rival the Art Nouveau interior of Maxim's of Paris, also depicted. Unfortunately, instructions for the complicated recipes are adequate but terse, and readers may have trouble duplicating the dramatic effects. Restaurant addresses and telephone numbers, a guide to selecting wines for specific dishes, and an overview of recent Bordeaux and Burgundy vintages are included. 60,000 first printing; BOMC premium selection; author tour. (July 1)