In his new work, Michel Biehn, a true fan of Provencal cuisine, pays homage to the herbs of Provence. He evokes their flavors, their fragrances, and the thousand-and-one classic ways in which they are used. In his inimitable style, Michel Biehn presents eighty delicious Provencal recipes collected from lovers of Provence, and explores ancient herb lore-- which herbs to use against toothache, which can be used to concoct an Elixir of Beauty.

We discover first of all the herbs of the hills (including thyme, rosemary, and lavender), which perfume the air of Provence with their subtle and evocative scent. These herbs are used to create such delicious dishes as potatoes stuffed with fresh goat's cheese and wild thyme, shoulder of lamb steamed in rosemary, or lavender nougat.

Then comes the garden herbs (including aniseed, basil, chives, coriander, and bay leaf) found in every true Provencal kitchen, where they bring their aromas to such treats as spelt soup stirred with a bay twig, aniseed cookies, or juniper jam.

Finally, there are the salad greens and flowers of the field (wild asparagus, poppy shoots, dandelion, wild leeks, arugula, and lamb's lettuce) long gathered on family walks, to flavor dandelion flower jelly, spice cakes, or lasagna with wild flowers.

Each recipe is accompanied by a wine suggestion, inviting readers to recreate the perfect Provencal menu and to bring the sunny colors and flavors of Provence into their own home.

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Michel Biehn, a native of Provence, is passionate about his region and its culinary tradition. He visits the local markets daily and delights family and friends with regional dishes. Here he pays homage to the herbs of Provence, their flavors and perfumes, and introduces a multitude of traditional ways of using them. He offers us more then eighty recipes, each more flavorful than the last, and at the same time initiates us into the unique characteristics of each herb, whether tonic or diuretic, energizing or analgesic.

Beautifully illustrated throughout with original still life photography, Cooking with Herbs comes complete with a list of Provencal wines to best accompany each dish, along with suggestions of where to find equivalent fresh herbs when not in Provence.

Michel Biehn is an antique dealer and decorator who lives in the Provencal village of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. He has loved Provence and its culinary traditions since childhood. Every day for the past twenty years, he has been going to the market, cooking for family and friends, and noting down his favorite recipes. He has already written two cookbooks, Colors of Provence (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1997), and Recipes from a Provencal Kitchen (Flammarion, 2000), which contains recipes passed down by his grandmother, Athalie.

In this book, he offers us his wide-ranging knowledge of the herbs that give Provencal cuisine its distinctive and evocative flavor, sharing his own recipes and those passed on by friends during memorable meals.

Gilles Martin-Raget is originally from Arles in Provence, but has adopted Marseilles as his home. A journalist and photographer, specializing in maritime subjects, he contributes to sailing publications in France and abroad. His homeland of Provence is a constant subject, and he opened the gallery "Image en Provence" in 1997, a showcase for traditional Provencal costume. Past works include the award-winning book of portraits of Arles women, Secrets d'Arlesiennes (Actes Sud, 1999).