BETWEEN THE COVERS:

Confessions of a Bibliophile by Clara Thompson

As a passionate book lover and reviewer, I am always excited when a free book lands on my desk. Sometimes I get what I pay for. Other times I run into an unusual combination like A Montana Table: Recipes from Chico Hot Springs Resort by Seabring Davis with photographs by Carol Rublein.

This hardcover book is generously sized at 8 ¾ by 10 inches and its somber brown cover is brightly protected by a glossy book jacket, inviting a closer look by its colored cover photo of wine and a serving of fish, set against a background of fenced grassy slopes and distant blue peaks. So first it looks like a coffee table book. And it can be. Then, as I began looking into its pages, I realized it is also a history of the 100-year-old resort, complete with historical pictures of its checkered past, set sometimes into pale green pages of text or sidebars. This ongoing story touts the splendors and delights available at Chico Hot Springs Resort for the well-to-do and discriminating traveler. So the book is a lush advertisement for the resort.

Yet it also is a cookbook, organized into seven chapters with headings like "Chico Mornings" and “From the Garden," along with main courses and desserts. The last chapter, "Chef's Cupboard" gives a list of essential stock preparations, like Dark Duck Stock, Veal Stock and Shrimp Stock and special sauces said to set the cuisine at Chico apart from the ordinary. I love to read cookbooks, no matter how plain and dull they are. So I enjoyed moving through this elegant volume even as I noted ingredients and cooking processes I will never attempt in this lifetime. But for someone aspiring to or practicing gourmet cookery, someone with lots of time, money, and strong determination to feed the family or entertain guests with extraordinary fare, these over 100 recipes could be a delightful challenge.

That challenge will require fresh ingredients from garden or greenhouse as well as regional beef, chicken and fish. Some of the recipes call for just a little time, while others call for the commitment of an entire day.

Some of the salad dressings sound delicious, but they would not suit any weight watchers. For example, for the Classic Spinach Salad, here is the recipe for Creamy Italian Dressing:
 1 cup mayonnaise
2 T Italian herb seasoning
2 T granulated garlic
1 t sugar
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
To prepare, blend mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, garlic, and sugar in a blender. With machine running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and then vinegar. Gradually add half-and-half and blend until smooth. Chill until
needed.
Calories or no calories, I'd like to try that dressing.

Ordering information: ISBN 0-7627-2570-2 by The Globe Pequot Press,
Guilford, CT 06437. $22.95 hardcover.