NEW & NOTEWORTH.

COOKBOOK: Read Dian Thomas' ``Recipes for Roughing It Easy,'' and you just know that if she was menaced by a bear in the woods, it'd take her about 10 minutes to produce bear burgers and a rug without working up a sweat.

This latest in a series of self-published ``Roughing It'' books (The Dian Thomas Co; $14.95) to guide novices through eating well while camping, hiking and other outdoor pursuits not only provides more than 200 recipes, but also information on organization, what to bring and how to pack stuff so it won't get smooshed or spoiled.

And, once you've reached your camping spot, she tells you how to build a fire. Forgot the matches? Try two flashlight batteries and a scrap of steel wool. For an impromptu barbecue grill base, cut open and fan out a big tin can and cover it with aluminum foil.

Thomas, at home in the outdoors, admits to a fondness for two things (well, three, if you include the ubiquitous plastic bag): aluminum foil - use it to build up a pan's sides a bit higher; shape it over a metal coat hanger to make a skillet; shape it into a serving bowl; or use it as a foil food packet - and tin cans - use as a rolling pin, a biscuit cutter, a mixing bowl or a dish.

Thomas' outdoor recipes will quiet that rumbling in your belly. For meatloaf, hollow out a big onion, fill with a meatloaf mixture, wrap in foil and cook on the grill about 40 minutes. For dessert, slit the skin of a banana, fill it with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, wrap in foil and grill 5 minutes.

For Kick-the-Can Ice Cream (don't really kick it), fill a can with ice cream-making ingredients, seal it inside a larger can filled with ice, and toss or roll it around until the goo solidifies into ice cream. You can cook hamburgers on a shovel or hot dogs on the tines of a pitchfork (assuming you've carried the implements along and washed them well).

- Carol Bidwell

COOK WITH WORLD-FAMOUS CHEFS: Relais & Chateux, a worldwide association of hotels and restaurants, recently acquired L'Ecole des Chefs, a culinary internship program for gourmet cooks. Renamed L'Ecole des Chefs Relais Gourmands, the program has been expanded and now includes 100 chefs in 18 countries in Europe, the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Africa and South America.

This is a program for home gourmet cooks and nonprofessionals passionate about food who want to learn the secrets of master chefs. Not a typical cooking course, it dresses the participants in whites and has them spend up to 10 hours a day behind the scenes in the restaurant kitchen alongside the crew. They will take meals with the staff, participate in daily meetings and be involved in delivery of fresh ingredients.

Internships are individual or can be shared with a friend or spouse. Programs are offered year-round and are scheduled based on the availability of the chef. Two- and five-day programs range from $1,250 to $2,250. Although expensive, it sounds like a great opportunity for a memorable experience for food fanciers. To order a brochure, call [phone] or visit the Web site at www.ecoledeschefs.com.

- Natalie Haughton

DINING OUT

Attention, summer romantics. Lakefront patio dining, believe it or not, isn't that far away.

The local edition of an enjoyable repast on a lazy, sun-drenched afternoon or early enough in the evening to catch an orange-toned sunset, is available at the marina on the lake in Westlake Village at three restaurants: Boccaccio's, featuring California and French-influenced Italian fare; Dockside Terrace, with modern American food; and the Landing Grill & Sushi Bar, with both a contemporary continental and Japanese menu along with sushi bar specialties.

Boccaccio's, which offers patio diners an additional, casual, lakefront dinner menu nightly except Saturday, when only the regular dinner menu applies, is a good place to impress out-of-towners. Lakefront dinner pastas and entrees range from $12 to $24.50.

Dockside Terrace features moderately priced pastas, seafood, meat and poultry entrees from $8 to $22. The Landing Grill serves pastas and entrees reasonably priced from $8 to $19.

Boccaccio's, 32123 Lindero Canyon Road, [phone]; Dockside Terrace, 32131 Lindero Canyon Road, [phone]; the Landing Grill & Sushi Bar, 32123 Lindero Canyon Road, [phone].

- Larry Lipson

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) no caption (book: ``Recipes for Roughing It Easy'')

(2) no caption (two chefs)