[.ca] Vegetarian Epicure (ISBN 0394717848)

another use for this book ...:
... is if you observe kashrut (the Jewish dietary laws) and want some good recipes, both main and side dishes, that won't violate the prohibitions. Many, many times i've resorted to this book to find something meatless to go along with the rest of the menu, and i've even found many Passover-friendly dishes in there also. In fact, i've found it more useful than all but one of my Jewish cookbooks. i got my first copy about 20 years ago as a gift, and have just ordered another as i loaned it out and can't remember to whom. Some of the recipes are beyond my interest or skill, but there is enough variety here to suit just about anyone. Along with my Joan Nathan book (who can keep a Jewish kitchen without Joan Nathan?) and my Joy of Cooking, this is my most-used recipe book. i don't cook that much any more, but when i do this is where i turn first for meatless meals.

There are better vegetarian books than this classic:
This book is very typical of Seventies vegetarian cooking, which was experimental and not always well-flavored. I remember plenty of horrid meals at local veggie restaurants, much like many of the recipes in this book. The soups and breads tend to be good, but the main dishes can be just awful. I recommend some newer books (Moosewood, for one) instead of this nostalgic, but not so tasty, classic.

So you want to make your veggies happy?:
It's definitely a cookbook of its time. The illustrations have a homespun look, and the introduction even makes mention of passing around a joint before dinner "to sharpen gustatory perception". I missed the seventies, personally, but the cheerful hippieness of this book is irresistable. But what about the darn food? It's good stuff. Not low-fat, really, but if you compare the olive oil, butter, and eggs called for in these recipes a meal would still balance favorably with the average meat-including diet. My favorite section is the one on curries--having had a lot of real Indian it's not QUITE the same, but it's reasonably close. Given that it was written when supermarkets were less global, I can forgive a few shortcomings in authenticity. She gets the basics across with readily-available ingredients. And every one of the curries is delicious on its own merits. There are sweeter ones, spicier ones, sides, a couple of desserts, and it's impossible to go wrong with any combination of recipes in this section. Most of her soups and stews are also excellent. The ratatouille in particular is fantastic. However, in place of her potato peel broth or garlic broth I recommend saving a lot of time and effort by starting off with plain water and adding extra seasoning, or by the quick & dirty expedience of a veggie bouillion cube or two. It's okay to cheat. Perhaps the best thing to bear in mind when using this book is that with a lot of the recipes you'll need either a fair amount of time or a liberal dose of common sense when it comes to cutting corners. The author had a lot of time on her hands, to make broth, clarify butter, and let things simmer for an hour. You probably don't, and neither do I. Use the butter plain. Heck, use margarine. Simmer for 30 minutes. Spice a little more heavily. And use that darn veggie bouillion. It would be nice if we could all be so relaxed and agrarian about our cooking as the author is. Just reading the book is like taking a deep breath. But alas, most of have day jobs and time constraints. Rest assured that you can still use these recipes and enjoy some absolutely succulent grub.

A winner then, a winner now:
Back when it was first published in the 70s, I got this book in support of my then-vegetarian lifestyle. It became my favorite cookbook (along with V2). I'm no longer a vegetarian, but I still love to cook and eat meatless meals a significant proportion of the time -- and these cookbooks are still with me, and this one (V1) is now in its fourth iteration. The book itself may not last as long as you'd like, but the recipes and the philosophy and the chatty, friendly and personal dialog is as fresh now as it was 30 years ago. Anna Thomas is a successful screenwriter and film-maker (e.g. Frida, El Norte) and has received an Academy Award nomination. She will probably end up being best known for her excellent cookbooks. I have to go now, to make her classic Macaroni and Cheese. Yum.

A Vegetarian Celebration:
This was my first cookbook when i became a vegetarian 25 years ago and it is still one of the best around today. A true classic. Try the stuffed peppers and the dolmades (stuffed grapevine leaves.) There's a section on curries and of course sweets. My favorites I always make are Spicy sweet potato pie,torta di ricotta, summer fruit tart, and apple crisp. She gives lots of menu ideas and her recipes are easy.