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Cookbooks offer great meatless recipes |
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Written by Steve Petusevsky, MCT
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Wednesday, 06 June 2007 |
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The cookbook market has changed over the last two years. One has to dig a little deeper to find books worth exploring. Here are some new books that are my favorites for summer perusing. Although many of these are not 100 percent vegetarian, all have great meatless recipes. I have also been reading books about our food sources, the politics of food and where our food chain is headed as I am interested in these subjects.
"What to Eat" (North Point Press, $30), by Marion Nestle
Nutritionist and consumer advocate Marion Nestle takes us through the supermarket, aisle by aisle, and explains how we choose what to eat. This book is both enlightening and discouraging because Nestle offers the anatomy of our choices and unravels the politics of food.
It seems many of our choices are determined by slotting fees, product placement and ingredient real estate on the supermarket shelves. Nestle talks about organics, nutrition, deciphering labels and exposes the underbelly of the food processing industry.
I have heard Nestle speak many times. Her philosophy: common sense is the key to eating healthfully. Eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and less chemicals. This is a must read if you want to know how to eat and shop more intelligently.
"Vegetable Harvest: Vegetables at the Center of the Plate" (Morrow Cookbooks, $34.95), by Patricia Wells
This is a collection of recipes that feature vegetables. Wells has written several cookbooks on regional French cooking, and this collection is one of her best.
All menu categories are covered, and my favorites are the chapters on grains, pasta, rice and beans. The recipes are inventive yet simple to execute. In fact, what I like most about this book is that it is about simplicity, freshness and ease of preparation.
"Super Natural Cooking: Five Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients Into Your Cooking," (Celestial Arts, $20) by Heidi Swanson
A good solid guide to natural foods, ingredients and how to use them without the stigma of this food being only boring bland steamed vegetables and tofu. I like her style and simple recipes along with some beautiful photos. Again, simplicity and ease are great assets of this book.
"The Oldways Table, Essays & Recipes From the Culinary Think Tank" (Ten Speed Press, $32.50), by K. Dun Gifford and Sara Baer-Sinnot
From the people who created the Mediterranean Diet pyramid and profoundly affected my own transition from natural foods to global healthy cuisine, this book is literally a testament to the "Old Ways" of enjoying our food.
It is a compendium of recipes and a guide to finding, enjoying and understanding the best of Mediterranean cuisine.
You must try the recipe for linguine with greens, yogurt, almonds and blue cheese. It will send you to places your palate has never been before.
"The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps and Bones" (Bloomsbury USA, $14.95), by Anthony Bourdain
Vegetarians, don't worry, this is not a cookbook but a book about food, travel and Bourdain's observations. I like his style and honesty. He tells it like it is. It's a great entertaining summer read.
"Silver Palate Cookbook 25th Anniversary Edition" (Workman Publishing, $29.99), by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
This book is like visiting an old friend and is one of the first cookbooks I ever bought. It was originally published in 1982, full of inventive recipes and many that I still make today. This 25th edition is full of the same text with photos added. It's a great gift for friends and any foodies. It's a true food lovers book, and a must for anyone who actually enjoys being in their kitchen.
"Plenty: One Man, One Woman and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally" (Harmony, $24) by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon
I love this memoir about a couple who decide to spend a year eating locally grown food found within 100 miles of their flat in Vancouver. This is an engaging narrative, and a true statement about the human experience.
They learn how to grow their own herbs, can food and forage for native ingredients. I found this book thought provoking and full of smarts.
"My Italian Garden: More than 125 Seasonal Recipes From a Garden Inspired by Italy" (Broadway, $19.95) by Viana La Place La Place who also wrote Cucina Fresca (Morrow, 2001), describes her garden in San Francisco, which she created after several trips to Italy. I tried this myself and understand this deep love for simplicity and seasonal foods. Her recipes are simple and full of unmasked flavors. The author truly understands the brilliance of taking just a few ingredients and producing infinite flavor.
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Steve Petusevsky is a freelance writer living in Coral Springs, Fla. | Only registered users can write comments.
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