[.ca] Vegetables (ISBN 0688146589)

From Amazon.com:
James Peterson's Vegetables is an encyclopedic yet easy-to-read guide to preparing everything from artichokes and beet greens to plantains and watercress. It contains more than 300 enticing recipes, many which use just three or four ingredients. This is a book about vegetables, but not a vegetarian cook book. To deliver appealingly intense flavors, Peterson uses chicken broth, anchovies, prosciutto, or bacon. He also does not skimp on cream or butter when he feels it is right for a dish. Peterson starts with information on buying, storing, and using 64 vegetables. Photos illustrate how to trim fennel, clean and julienne leeks and perform other commonly used techniques. He also provides helpful information along with the recipes, like suggesting that you buy roasted, not raw cashews because they are less likely to be rancid. The recipes range from Mediterranean-style Creamy Zucchini Gratin to Mexican Avocado and Chile "Gazpacho," and Japanese Cucumber Salad, as well as expected classics like mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and creamed spinach. When you need a gift, think of this book. --Dana Jacobi

You'll Never Look At Vegetables The Same Way Again!:
I remember my reaction when the greenmarkets first hit N.Y.C.. I could hardly contain my glee!! It was a showcase for fresh produce grown by local farmers. On any given day, you will see all the usual suspects of the vegetable world. You will also see UNUSUAL vegetables such as chayote, jicama and salsify. How do you select, store and prepare all of them? By using this superb book!! This book, with more than 300 recipes, puts vegetables front and center! No longer relegated to an accompaning role, these recipes show how vegetables can be used as the MAIN COURSE! Yes, you will find recipes for various vegetable salades which are VERY good; but how about vegetable gratins made with coconut milk, or casseroles made with Bechamel sauce? Peterson offers some very interesting soups from around the world, such as Italian-style kale and garlic soup with white beans and prosciutto. A great surprise was the section on pickles and brine. My family loves to pickling and canning, so this section was extremely useful. As someone who is starting to feel comfortable in the kitchen, but does not know a lot about trimming, shaving, seeding and julienning anything, the techniques section, presented in beautiful color photographs was a tremendous help. The same can be said for the section that showed the finished dishes, where you can SEE just how everything is supposed to look. I loved the seasonal availabity of vegetables chart that was found in the back of the book as well as the sources listing, which gives you the names of stores where you can find the various ingredients. After reading this book and using the recipies, you'll never look at vegetables the same way again!

I was surprised at how good this was:
This book exceeded my expectations. It was very good, as to teaching technique and in providing excellent recipes. I don't understand why one person said it was devoted to hard-to-procure vegetables. There were plenty of recipes for the "run of the mill" veggies. Especially nice was that I discovered vegetables I thought I hated (only a few) that were delicious when prepared differently... like turnips. I loved the turnips glazed with a little butter, sugar and sherry. Who knew? I went through all the root vegetables in my refrigerator, using the same process with slight alterations. As a novice cook, I really appreciated some of the amazingly easy and repeatable techniques that were taught in this book... I look forward to making more things, and I am getting more of his books.

Thank You Mr. Peterson!:
I didn't know you could peel celery stalks, or that cucumbers taste better when you seed them. Did you ever roast baby carrots? I've had this book for a year and it gets better all the time. Enjoy! :)

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know ABout Vegetables.......:
James Peterson has put together a veritable encyclopedia about vegetables in this great book. It covers all the most common everyday vegetables, plus a large number of not so common vegetables. Recipes range from the very basic to the more complex, but there is certainly something for eveyone to be found in this book. One of my favorite recipes made from this book was Tomato Gratin With Bread, Cream And Bacon. As the host of my own culinary website Italian Food Forever, and someone who collects cookbooks, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in vegetables.

A Former Vegetable Novice:
I LOVE this book. I used to hate making vegetables - I'd whip out a can of corn, green beans or frozen broccoli with the best of them. Thanks to this book - we have the best vegetables on our table. I love the short cut microwave artichoke method - so easy and delicious - even my kids like them! And don't get me started on the Roasted Tomatoes - To Die For! This book details how to buy, store and prepare vegetables - its like having Grandma's knowledge in a book. This book is a must have for every kitchen.