Bocuse a la Carte

This colorful, small collection of recipes from Bocuse, a talented and internationally recognized chef, will appeal mainly to his fans. Attempting to offer French homestyle recipes interesting enough for experienced cooks but simple enough for novices, it is adequate for both audiences but perfect for neither. Bocuse trots out the standards here, with appearances by boeuf bourguignon, poached pears in wine, onion soup and creme brulee. Such recipes as baked apples, lamb chops with potatoes, and farmer's cheese with herbs Lyon-style convey a sense of homestyle cooking. However, snails Burgundy-style and poached chickencalling for a large truffle, foie gras and half a sweetbreadwill look like restaurant fare to Americans. The color photographs are a jumble of the decorative, the informative and the useless. Bocuse wrote Paul Bocuse's French Cooking, etc. (October 26)