Flavors of the Riviera

The executive editor of Saveur magazine and author of Catalan Cuisine leads a lively and informative tour of the fabled French and Italian coastline that is a treat for the armchair traveler as well as the cook. Punctuated with amusing essays and quotations and illustrated with eight pages of color photographs, the text and nearly 150 recipes give a compelling picture of this region's cuisine, which is, according to the author, often misunderstood. Despite the Riviera's reputation for opulence, many of its best dishes were born of native frugality and based on imaginative combinations of homey ingredients. Some recipes will be familiar--Ratatouille and Pissaladiere for example, but even old favorites have a twist (the French don't cook the vegetables in a real Salade Nicoise) and there are some light, unusual dishes such as Tagliatelle with Green Beans, Potatoes and Pesto and Fresh Cod with Anchovy Vinaigrette. Divided into sections which largely follow the terrain (e.g., ""From the Farms and Gardens,"" ""The Sea""), the book includes a detailed chapter on wines, a guide to some local restaurants, sources for hard-to-find ingredients and an extensive bibliography. (Nov.)