The new generation of Parisian bistros has fascinated diners and cooks, who look to books such as and to capture the spirit of these places.

The creativity they represent can also be found in the French countryside and small towns. Proprietors and chefs of small inns present food that expresses the local terroir—the ingredients and flavors of their particular place. Some hew more closely to humble tradition, while others employ modern techniques to create fresh approaches.

In Nouvelle Auberges, Victor Coutard, a former farmer who is now a food journalist, profiles 8 of these inns across the country. Among his 10 Commandments of Nouvelle Auberges, the first is "The chef offers local and traceable cuisine; a complete knowledge of the products is required."

The inns are:

• La Cabane a Matelot in Brehemont
• L'Auberge de Chassignolles in Chassignolles
• d'Une Ile in Remalard
• Le Garde Champetre in Gye-sur-Seine
• Le Petit Hotel du Grand Large in Saint-Pierre_Quiberon
• L'Auberge de la Roche in Valdeblore
• L'Auberge Sauvage in Servon
• L'Auberge du Vert Mont in Boeschepe

The dishes themselves range from familiar-but-fresh milk-braised pork neck with sage and chicken with grilled chard and lemon butter to a kohlrabi and oyster granita and a carp carpaccio with strawberries, fleur de sel, and fresh herbs.

A rewarding tour of culinary innovation and dedication.

Paperback. Color photographs throughout.  In French.