SUMMER FEASTS

Moules marinieres, pesto, salad nicoise, sorrel soup, vitello tonnato, peach pie--chances are you've seen most of these summertime standbys before. Aware of their perennial appeal, Molly Finn (Cooking for Carefree Weekends, 1974) has gathered these and many others together for what amounts to an anthology of summer cooking, covering the best of America, France, Italy, and Greece. Finn's manner is as direct and unaffected as the garden tomatoes she gives recipes for. Instead of calling her saffron fish soup a bouillabaisse (which it isn't), she calls it simply ""Red Fish Soup."" New to us is her chapter of steamed custards tastily combining traditional technique with unexpected ingredients--corn, shrimp, scallions, and herbs. Her vegetable recipes (all fresh) give gardening advice along the way, with tips on growing herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, et al., and when to pick them. A handy collection for the balmy days ahead.