Her stress is always on fresh, seasonal food-- recipes that can be quickly prepared and slowly savored, from Gnocchi alla Genovese ("simply an excuse for eating pesto") to La Poule au Pot to Gooseberry Fool. Divided into such sections as Soup, Poultry and Game, Vegetables, and Dessert, her 1955 classic includes an overview of herbs as well as chapters on impromptu cooking for holidays and picnics. Chockablock with both invaluable instructions and tart rejoinders to the pallid and the overblown, Summer Cooking is a witty, precise companion for feasting in the warmer months.

    Each entry is accompanied by one of Eugene Walter s favorite recipes. From tips to help the modern cook sort out the confusing endive-chicory, mint, and thyme families to suggestions for the best use of celery, dill, and anise, Hints & Pinches serves up a useful and amusing treasure trove of fact and fancy.