Krautland Calling: An American POW Radio Broadcaster in Nazi Germany

To find good eats in Texas--where classical methods are practiced with a twang--is to come upon a culinary treat unmatched anywhere, say some. English ( The Wines of Texas ) gives welcome proof of the rumor's basis in fact, culling recipes from a corps of inventive chefs and organizing them in cleverly conceived menus, coupled with not one but two wine choices for each course. From appetizers (Stephan Pyles's tamale tart with roasted garlic custard and Gulf Coast crab meat) to desserts (Norbert Brandt's flourless chocolate cake on hot coffee bean fudge sauce), offerings will intrigue those in the know--and others out of it. Only one or two game selections are hard to procure outside their home turf. The book's sole flaw is a yen for lunging editorial pronouncement and non sequitur. The introduction, for example, examines the history of the tocque (chef's hat) and the author's origins (Texas high society), lets loose a curious diatribe against the table manners of ``Yuppies and their ilk,'' and ventures the opinion that because some spicy Thai and Southwestern foods cannot be paired with fine wine, ``the only suitable beverage . . . is Pepto Bismol.'' (June)