Best known for his role in television's "L.A. Law" as Stuart Markowitz -- the average guy married to the beautiful tall blonde -- actor Michael Tucker has turned his talent to writing. In his latest effort, "Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine and Love in Italy" (Atlantic Monthly Press, $24), he candidly reflects on his life in Italy with his wife, Jill Eikenberry, who also played his co-star in "L.A. Law."

Tucker is a foodie whose first book, "I Never Forget a Meal: An Indulgent Reminiscence," is part memoir, part cookbook. He and his wife also recently produced a documentary, "Emile Norman: By His Own Design," about the artist. Tucker received the "Good Guys Award" from the National Women's Political Caucus for his work on women's health issues. He and Eikenberry, a breast cancer survivor, travel around the country talking to groups about the disease.

Q: You only talk a little bit about the abrupt shift of the limelight when "L.A. Law" ended. Was it as hard as you describe it?

A: It was two things. It wasn't as if people suddenly didn't recognize us. That continued. But we left L.A. We decided to actually remove ourselves from the limelight for a few reasons. We were burned out. We had been shooting a television series for eight years, and we were kind of tired of that particular way of acting. You know, I think those nine years in Los Angeles were a time when we were least like ourselves. That had to do with sort of being in a fishbowl all the time.

Q: Early in your new book when you describe the friendship between your wife, Jill, and Caroline [her personal assistant], were either of them bothered by the description?

A: No. They are still very close friends, although Caroline still lives in Marin County [in northern California], and we are in New York now. You know, like any deep relationship, it was complicated. But at that time, especially when Caroline lived with us, they were inseparable. They would gang up on me ... having the two of them sort of back each other up. Jill's voice was much more clear and assertive. Finally, that was really great for our relationship. Because, if I knew what she wanted, I could give it to her.

Q: You say in the book you are happiest giving Jill everything she wants.

A: Yeah, you know, it was a lesson that took me years to learn, but once I learned it, it was the best thing I found out.

Q: Do you think you would be as adventurous without Jill?

A: No. No way. I draw a lot of strength off of her.

Q: You talk about not being competitive with her.

A: No, we're not. We play the relationship game in the same way that you would play paddy cake. In paddy cake you start together, you play together, you win together, you lose together. If one person misses, both lose the game. What we try to do is hold each other up and keep each other moving up. By putting your partner down, you go down.

Q: OK, in the book you take some hikes and go to the gym once. But you eat a feast in every chapter. What keeps you from looking like Orson Welles?

A: I do exercise. I do take walks and stuff like that. I am getting to look like Orson Welles. I've increased a pants size. Thank you, thank you for that question. I think in Italy it has to do with the freshness of the food, you don't put on as much weight. My biggest problem with weight is when I come back to the States and continue to eat the way I eat over there. The weight just piles on. I think eating food that has preservatives in it is not good for you. I think it puts on weight. That's my non-doctor theory.

Q: You and Jill just produced your first documentary, "Emile Norman: By His Own Design." Because you know the artist, was there more pressure to make it perfect?

A: We felt a very, very big responsibility to do the film well. It took 6 and a half years to make that film. It is something we are very proud of, and it was an intensely creative effort.

Q: Now that you've established this other life, do you have any desire to be in a hit series again?

A: I don't have a strong desire to do that again. If I did, I would move back to Los Angeles. So if some fantastic thing were dropped into my lap, more ideally it would have to be the two of us again because we're at a point in our lives where we're not really separating anymore. We've done that. So the idea of me getting a series and Jill not, I wouldn't take it. It would mean 80 percent of my waking time would be focused on something that she's not involved in. I don't think that's the way we're going right now.