Chez Panisse founder and "mother of American food" Alice Waters has added a new title to her bibliography, "Fanny in France: Travel Adventures of a Chef's Daughter" (Viking, $20, 184 pages, with illustrations by Ann Arnold) for younger readers and home cooks of all ages.
The book has a twist: Writing from the whimsical perspective of her daughter, Fanny, Waters "recounts" Fanny's memories as a 9-year-old during one of their event-filled, food-centric tours of France. The real Fanny Singer, now 33, literally grew up in the legendary Berkeley restaurant, which opened in 1971 with a prix fixe dinner for $3.95.
As charming as young Fanny is ("I got to use the big pepper grinder!"), home cooks will welcome the 40 straightforward recipes that conclude the "memoir." A simple vinaigrette and slow-roasted almonds with sage are at the easy-to-make end, while bouillabaisse and herbed rack of lamb will fire culinary inspiration.
