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Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Deborah Madison Edition: Hardcover Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2007-11-06 ISBN: 0767927478 Number of pages: 752 Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Book Reviews of Vegetarian Cooking for EveryoneBook Review: Great book.....Clarifying some of the negative reviews Summary: 5 Stars
Since this is a classic you will find all kinds of great reviews. I have no loyalty to Deborah Madison. But I do think this is a wonderful book and some of the negatives are just strange or wrong. If you are considering this purchase, take it out of the library or look at it in a store. This is really worth having on the shelf and for many reasons.
A One star reviewer says that on page 282...Potato Leek Gratin...ends up in a watery mess. The last word in the recipe says...DRAIN. Next..p636 ...Cranberry Nut Bread...uses two different kinds of sugar and doesn't say when to use each type. In defense again...in the directions it breaks things up with the words PUT (that starts the Cranberry Sauce), and then CREAM which uses the next ingredient in line (butter) and then the next type of sugar etc.. I'm no Mr. Chef but this seems straight forward to me.
The bit about Acorn Squash? Not accurate. Very few books that I have seen, have a direct reference to Acorn Squash...(Fanny Farmer, Joy of Cooking, Essential Vegetarian Cookbook etc.)This one does. With most you have to know it is also known as Winter Squash and find it that way. And this book does not just have info and bake at so and so. You can just bake it, there is a side note of good things "partners" that go with it, she gives ideas of what to use this for other than just as is, then another entry a bit more involved with some recipe for a flavored butter, and then, as Fanny Farmer says to put maple syrup and butter with it but then goes on to suggest 5 other kinds of flavors. Fanny Farmer though, says bake at 400 for 40 to 50 minutes, which really kills it. Out of all the cookbooks I have, Madison's book happened to be the most informative!!....and it brings you to a great place in the book that speaks of many other kinds of squash, what they are, and what to do with them....which I never knew about. All these other great well known cookbooks did not have any of this or all in the same place as she does. It is nice to be accurate if you are really going to dig in. Amazing. Really off in the critique there.
Bland recipes? This book is written from the standpoint of a more sensitive palette. This is not snobbery. I love burgers and fries and beer and pizza and all of that. But I simply had to give it up to the occasional. At first most things didn't taste like anything. But in time...a good piece of celery is sweet. Our taste buds are overpowered by the usual stuff we have in this society. Even the so called healthy meals. What I have experienced is that when cooked right, vegetable dishes give hints of this and that flavor or texture and that is the power in them. Our usual is to be knocked over the head. So to get into this kind of book and just cook away can be misleading.
Odd ingredients? Swiss Chard...Quinoa....?...None of what is in here is really that weird. You end up spending less. Animal protein is expensive. Sounds like "elitist artsy-f*rtsy gormand snob set" talk doesn't it? Nope. But some see it this way. I do eat meat. And fish. But not in the portions I was used to. Not necessary. The body needs a balance. In a big way. We create much of our disease from too much acid. This cookbook is a good reference to moving away from this kind of thing. There are cookbooks that are much more "way out" than this one. This seems to aim at many levels.
I had to say something after reading some of the negatives. I just wasn't agreeing or seeing what was said. Many times I find the negative reviews are more helpful than the "can do no wrong types". In this case I think they lead people down the wrong path. See for yourself in person first. Perhaps you will agree.
Summary of Vegetarian Cooking for EveryoneThe tenth anniversary edition of this landmark cookbook, with more than 325,000 copies in print, includes a new introduction from Deborah Madison, America?s leading authority on vegetarian cooking.
What Julia Child is to French cooking, Deborah Madison is to vegetarian cooking?a demystifier and definitive guide to the subject. After her many years as a teacher and writer, she realized that there was no comprehensive primer for vegetarian cooking, no single book that taught vegetarians basic cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients, and how to present vegetarian dishes with style. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone teaches readers how to build flavor into vegetable dishes, how to develop vegetable stocks, and how to choose, care for, and cook the many vegetables available to cooks today. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is in every way Deborah Madison?s magnum opus, featuring 1,400 recipes suitable for committed vegetarians, vegans (in most cases), and everyone else who loves good food. For nonvegetarians, the recipes can be served alongside meat, fish, or fowl and incorporated into a truly contemporary style of eating that emphasizes vegetables and fruits for health and well-being.
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is the most comprehensive vegetarian cookbook ever published. The recipes, which range from appetizers to desserts, are colorful and imaginative as well as familiar and comforting. Madison introduces readers to innovative main course salads; warm and cold soups; vegetable braises and cobblers; golden-crusted gratins; Italian favorites like pasta, polenta, pizza, and risotto; savory tarts and galettes; grilled sandwiches and quesadillas; and creative dishes using grains and heirloom beans. At the heart of the book is the A-to-Z vegetable chapter, which describes the unique personalities of readily available vegetables, the sauces and seasonings that best complement them, and the simplest ways to prepare them. ?Becoming a Cook? teaches cooking basics, from holding a knife to planning a menu, and ?Foundations of Flavor? discusses how to use sauces, herbs, spices, oils, and vinegars to add flavor and character to meatless dishes. In each chapter, the recipes range from those suitable for everyday dining to dishes for special occasions. And through it all, Madison presents a philosophy of cooking that is both practical and inspiring.
Despite its focus on meatless cooking, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is not just for vegetarians?it's for everyone interested in learning how to cook vegetables creatively, healthfully, and passionately. The recipes are remarkably straightforward, using easy-to-find ingredients in inspiring combinations. Some are simple, others more complex, but all are written with an eye toward the seasonality of produce. Madison's joyful and free-spirited approach to cooking will send you into the kitchen with confidence and enthusiasm. Whether you are a kitchen novice or an experienced cook, this wonderful cookbook has something for everyone. The elegant simplicity and exquisite flavor of Deborah Madison's food make her one of America's leading cooks. In Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, she offers more than great food: her book includes comprehensive information about ingredients and techniques, plus more than 800 recipes. The recipes range from dishes as familiar as Guacamole to those as distinctive as Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemons, and Cashew Curry. The 124-page chapter titled "Vegetables: The Heart of the Matter" is a virtual book of culinary revelations; you could use it as a manual on buying and preparing vegetables. Madison provides equally inspired recipes and guidance for everything from grains and soy to dairy foods and desserts.
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