My provencal kitchen

Jacqueline Engert worked on newspapers in New York and London before finding herself a housewife with small babies in the remote Riviera countryside. To the astonishment of her new neighbours she knew little of cooking beyond scram-bling eggs ! They piled so many gifts of fruits and vegetables on the terrrace wall every mor-ning that she was com-pelled to learn to cook if only to keep up with their generosity.Most of the recipes passed on in this book were learnt te country sounds which have almost disappeared - cries to the ox called Papillon as he heaved his creaking plough through the vines, the gentle ringing of sheep bells as the shepherd brought his flock to graze under the olive trees, flic shot of a hunter's gun.They were collected in rural kitchens sweet witli the scent of olive-wood fires and freshly gathered herbs. Many of the dishes do not appear in cook books nor on restaurant menus. They have been handed down from generation to generation, a few having strayed into Provence from other regions.Jacqueline Engert deals mainly with the raw materials in season. Thus. if you arc cooking in Provence these dishes make for thrift as well as good eating. If your kitchen is in a different clime, then you will find here ideas that will bring a breathe of Southern France to your table.