PENN & TELLER’S HOW TO PLAY WITH...

PENN & TELLER’S HOW TO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD by Penn Jillette and Teller (Villard: $20; 216 pp., illustrated, paperback original). In this irreverent volume, the popular magicians offer step-by-step instructions for a variety of stunts to be performed at mealtime, including making a gelatin heart that bleeds when cut, causing the face of the devil to appear on a tortilla and executing an elaborate card trick that requires the connivance of the staff at a posh eatery. (In Los Angeles, waiters at Campanile are prepared to assist with the prank.) As always, Penn and Teller’s gleefully mischievous tone suggests a pair of 8-year-olds with finger paints discovering a stack of freshly washed sheets.

Editor’s note at press time (not a prank): “How to Play With Your Food” has been recalled because the fake unopenable sugar packet in the accessory kit is defective (it is not as impenetrable as billed, and the contents should not be eaten ). Anyone who has already bought the book may call (800) 726-0600 for a replacement packet.