Susan Herrmann Loomis

This recipe can be made vegetarian by substituting either soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos for the Nuoc Nam, a Vietnamese fish sauce made from anchovies which is used as a salty seasoning. The flavor will not be quite the same, but it will be equally satisfying.

(Editor's Note: As of 2/27/01 ingredient quantities were adjusted for this recipe. It now works wonderfully.) If you want to make savory waffles, add about 3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or hard sheep's milk cheese and omit the sugar.

This recipe is likely to work well with other cane berries such as blackberries and marionberries.

(LES SCOURTINS AUX OLIVES DE NYONS) Jean-Pierre Autrand of Les Vieux Moulins in Nyons, Provence, shared the family recipe for these crisp, salty-sweet cookies.

(Roti de Cuisse de Sanglier) Serve a hearty Gigondas or St. Joseph with this sumptuous dish.

Madeleines au Chocolat Madeleines are good any time, any where. Here are some secrets to making madeleines, and a wonderful chocolate version which is guaranteed to please! • Make the dough up to three days in advance and chill it in the refrigerator.
• Heavily butter the molds and chill them so the butter hardens before the molds are filled with batter.
• Refrigerate the filled molds before baking.
• Make sure the oven is fully hot before baking the madeleines.
• Bake for no longer than 7 minutes — the madeleines should not quite spring back when you touch them. This ensures a moist result.

This is a typical Norman recipe, a way to use up the little bits of cheese that somehow manage to end up on a cheese platter. It is delicious.

A bit of water whisked into the eggs tenderizes them. You may fill this omelette with anything you like, of course. It makes two very generous servings. For the mushroom and goat cheese variation, sauté 1 pound of thickly sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter until they are golden and most of their liquid has evaporated. Use about 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, and 1/2 cup of chervil sprigs (you may substitute flat-leaf parsley), which you mince at the very last minute, to take advantage of their flavorful oils.

Fricasse De Girolles This makes a wonderful side dish to poultry or seafood, or a lovely dish all on its own.

This sorbet has summer in every bite. Be sure to use very ripe apricots, and don't neglect the lemon juice. The sorbet is best eaten right after it is made.

"This is one of my favorite pastas," Lisa Bonacossi said, citing its simplicity. "it is made with lemons, pine nuts, and oil that everyone has on hand." The flavors are simple and brilliant. The sauce is best served with fresh tagliatelle. I serve it with lemon wedges too for those who like to squeeze a bit of fresh juice over the pasta. Serve this with a well-chilled Pinot Grigio for a nice, bright combination.

Grated black radish salad is exquisite too. Try it with the most common black radish in the U.S. (Raphanus sativus), which is round and has a similar flavor and texture to Raphanus sativus niger.