[.ca] Delias Vegetarian Collection (ISBN 056349364X)

From Amazon.co.uk:
Delia Smith has tossed the odd crumb to non-meat eaters in previous books: in Delia's Vegetarian Collection, finger on the pulse as always, she pulls the best of those together, tops them up with a selection of new ones, and presumably has herself and the BBC another bestseller. Lest this sound ungenerous, it's as well to say that this is a fine collection, wide-ranging and full of variety; and also visually very appealing. Vegetarians are likely to feel that the wait was worthwhile; many other cooks will be grateful for an inspiring repertoire, which happens not to contain meat. As always with Delia Smith, there is nothing here to frighten the tentative cook. Perhaps the most demanding recipe is the rather modish Red Onion Tarte Tatin. But even here, Delia's calm directions provide the most reassuring of guides (practically every sentence in every recipe starts with the words "First" or "Next" or "Then"). Delia has cast her net widely, both geographically and, as it were, chronologically. While Vegetarian Sausage Rolls , "Not Pork" Pie and a variety of hefty vegetable gratins, such as Roasted Vegetable and Brown Rice, evoke a time of wholefood earnestness, before vegetarian food lightened up, most of the recipes belong to a more modern era, characterised by the flavours of the Mediterranean and the Pacific Rim, where vegetables play a more central role in the cuisines. Pasta and noodle recipes, for example, include the wonderful Trofie with Pesto, Green Beans and Potatoes, together with many other classic Italian dishes; while the East contributes Singapore Stir-Fried Noodles and Soba Noodles with Soy and Citrus Dressing. One of the pleasures of this book is the presence of many classic recipes, included simply because of their deliciousness. This is plainly the case in the Puddings chapter. Suet aside, puddings can't cause vegetarians too many problems. But here are Crepes Suzettes, Bananas Baked in Rum, Crème Brûlé and Strawberry and Balsamic Vinegar Ice Cream to remind us that some of the best things to eat have always been meatless. --Robin Davidson

Quality:
While this was not my first vegetarian cookbook, it does rate among my favourites - for those nights when I have a bit of spare time on my hands. The book itself is beautiful, with a solid hardbound cover, thick smooth pages, and absolutely gorgeous photography. The pages are crisp and vibrant, and the design is elegant and reader-friendly. The makers of this edition had an eye for quality and for readability. The food is in keeping with the care put into designing this book. I've prepared quite a few of the recipes therein and have had fantastic results - and I'm no gourmet chef. The food is incredible. The only cautions I would give are as follows: (a) it's not an everyday cookbook... some recipes are complex, and some take quite a bit of time and patience to prepare; (b) some of the ingredients are a bit rare, or don't translate well from UK to Canadian terms; and (c) there is no nutritional information accompanying the recipes - but looking at the ingredients suggests an overall moderate to high fat content. That said, the recipes are more than worth the time and effort. And we all need a little sweet in our diets. You do, however, have to enjoy cooking to fully appreciate this book. A final disclaimer: this book is ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and uses eggs, milk and cheese in a good number of its recipes.

A must have book:
This is the one that you should really own above all others. Being of English stock, I was brought up with Delia all my life. to be short and sweet, the recipes are inspiring easy and very tatsty. I am not a vegetarian but would be more than happy to make most of these recipes for myself. If you really want to cook something that is different from your average American recipes, this is the one to buy. Well worth paying the extra money for.