Wells elaborates on her cooking philosophy in her newest cookbook, "The Provence Cookbook" (HarperCollins, $29.95). In the area to spend Thanksgiving with her mother and sister, Wells will discuss her newest recipes at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh. She will talk again about food and Provence, France, on Nov. 26 at 1:30 p.m. at A Southern Season in Chapel Hill and Nov. 27 at 11 a.m. at McIntyre's Books in Fearrington Village, in Pittsboro.

Wells, recognized as the American authority on French food, describes her new book as part cookbook, part guidebook.

In addition to 175 recipes, Wells personalizes the book by introducing readers to farmers, chefs, shopkeepers, artisans and bakers near her Provence farmhouse. Wells divides her time between her Provence home and her Paris apartment. She's also a food critic for the International Herald Tribune.

Info Who: Patricia Wells. Tuesday: 7 p.m., Quail Ridge Books & Music, 3522 Wade Ave., in Ridgewood Shopping Center, Raleigh. 828-1588. Also: Nov. 26 at 1:30 p.m., at A Southern Season, 201 South Estes Drive. (University Mall), Chapel Hill. 929-7133. And Nov. 27 at 11 a.m., at McIntyre's Books, eight miles south of Chapel Hill on U.S. 15-501 at Fearrington Village, Pittsboro. 542-3030.

While she has lived in France nearly 25 years, Wells is mindful to make her recipes doable for American cooks.

"I try to make sure I don't have too many fancy ingredients," she says. "My goal is that people will open the book and cook from it.

"My sister used to test all my recipes. If she couldn't find the ingredients in Raleigh, I couldn't do the recipe."

The recipes range from simple seasonal dishes like Potato Salad with Rosemary and Capers to rich desserts like Buttermilk Sorbet.

During the winter holidays, Wells often makes her Three Pear Cake or her Autumn Walnut Cake Domaine De La Ponche. That's one of her favorite local eating spots in Provence.

While the recipes in this book are new, many are variations on old recipes. The pear cake is a remake of an earlier apple cake recipe. Wells fiddled with the original recipe, substituting yogurt for milk to give the pear cake a moist texture.

Some recipes are created by Wells while others are inspired by Provence chefs. She often simplifies a complex recipe so everyday cooks can duplicate the flavors.

In general, Wells believes all cooks should master a good chicken stock, a good vinaigrette dressing and a classic pastry.

And for the most part, Wells likes to keep dishes light. "I don't use a lot of butter and cream."

Wells also wants readers to feel like she's in the kitchen with them. In her Provence kitchen, she likes to listen to Eva Cassidy or Diana Krall sing as she measures her ingredients. Her sunny, yellow kitchen is outfitted with a stone sink and a marble sink. She has a fireplace that she roasts whole chickens in. She has a view of the French countryside, and, by night, she opens a bottle of wine and sips as she cooks.

Cooking with Wells does sound delightful, even if it's just in your imagination.

Staff writer Bridgette A. Lacy can be reached at 829-8925 or blacy@newsobserver.com

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