Savoring France: Recipes and Reflections on French Cooking

The latest entry in this Williams-Sonoma series provides a wide-ranging, if unsurprising, look at Gallic cuisine. Brennan (The Food and Flavors of Haute Provence) divides the recipes into appetizers, entr es, vegetables and desserts, and each dish is derived from a specific region: Pissaladi re from Provence, Gratin ed Mussels on the Half Shell from Languedoc and Fondue from Franche-Comt and the Alps. Meat entr es tend to be grilled (Grilled Lamb chops with Fresh Thyme, Grilled Eel) or roasted (Duck with Lavender Honey, Roasted Veal with Whole Garlic). Some of the most appealing fare can be found in the chapter on vegetable dishes, many of which, such as Saut ed Asparagus and Artichokes with Black Olives and Parmesan and Stuffed Turnips filled with sausage, hazelnuts and currants, could be served as main courses. Desserts, such as Cherry Custard Cake, are generally fruit-based. The glossary is admirably thorough, the photography is lovely throughout and Brennan's sidebars (on topics such as foraging for mushrooms) are certainly competent, but the large format and full-color presentation may make this a cookbook destined for the coffee table rather than the kitchen counter. (Jan.)