Book Reviews
THE VOLUPTUOUS VEGAN
By Myra Kornfeld and George Minot
Isn't it wonderful more and more vegan cookbooks are being published? The Voluptuous Vegan offers creative gourmet-type dishes. Many of the recipes are not quick nor easy; however, if you have the time, this book is meant for you.
The recipe section consists of "Soups," "Main-Course Menus," and "Desserts." Among the soups, you'll find Wild Mushroom and Rice, Butternut-Lemongrass, Mushroom-Barley with Fennel and Coriander, and many others.
In the "Main-Course Menus" chapter, the authors state that each menu reflects an artful balance of flavors, textures, and colors. One menu includes Warm Chickpea Salad with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes; Fresh Corn, Millet, and Rice Croquettes; Jalapeño-Potato-Tofu "Cream;" and Olive Tapenade. Another menu consists of Baked Tempeh with Creole Sauce, Cajun Sweet-Corn Relish, and Rice with Parsley and Lemon.
The "Dessert" section offers items such as Raspberry-Cornmeal Tart with Raspberry Sauce, Apple Spice Streusel Cake, and Carrot Cake with Coconut-Cardamom Sauce.
The only suggestion I have for this book is that when it is reprinted, nutritional analysis should be added to each recipe.
The Voluptuous Vegan (ISBN 0-609-80489-8) is published by Clarkson Potter Publishers. The book is 336 pages and retails for $18.00. Look for this book in your local bookstore.
Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
MISO COOKERY
By Louise Hagler
Miso is a traditional Asian soy food found in natural foods stores and Asian markets. It comes in the form of a paste or purée, ranging from beige to dark chocolate brown in color. Different varieties range from sweet to savory. Miso is salty and used to flavor soups and can be used to enhance sauces, marinades, dressings, stews, roasts, and other items.
Miso Cookery offers 70 recipes using miso. Amongst the dishes are Miso Kombu Soup, Cilantro Miso Pesto, Cabbage Peanut Slaw, Apricot-Lime BBQ Sauce, Sweet Pepper Onion Quiche, Thai Green Curry, and Peach Soy Frogurt.
Louise Hagler is also author of Tofu Cookery, Soyfoods Cookery, Meat-less Burgers, and others. This new book includes a few color photos.
Miso Cookery (ISBN 1-57067-102-8) is published by the Book Publishing Company. It retails for $10.95 and is 96 pages. Look for this book in bookstores.
Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
THE INDIAN GROCERY STORE DEMYSTIFIED
By Linda Bladholm
Although not completely a vegetarian book, The Indian Grocery Store Demystified offers a lot of useful information for vegans looking to cook with items bought in Indian markets. You'll find 700 descriptive entries and over 200 illustrations of Indian products including rice and rice products, breads and flours, legumes and dals, spices and seasonings, spice mixes, powders, and pastes, aromatics and herbs, vegetables, fruits, canned goods, oils, pickles, chutneys, snacks, and more. There are also a few recipes in the back of the book (most are veggie-friendly).
The Indian Grocery Store Demystified (ISBN 1-58063-143-6) is published by Renaissance Books in Los Angeles, CA. It is distributed by St. Martin's Press and retails for $16.95.
Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
YOU CAN WRITE A COOKBOOK
By J. Kevin Wolfe
Whether you've ever wanted to put together a collection of your favorite original recipes and give them away as gifts, or seriously wanted to write a cookbook for the mass market, You Can Write a Cookbook will offer you valuable advice.
Inside this book, you'll learn about the ingredients of a good cookbook, how to write recipes, choose a good theme, organize your material, and how to lay it out. Also find out how to self-publish your book or sell it to a book publisher. Finally, you'll read about the importance of promoting your work once it has been published.
This book also provides a terrific list of media connections, including food writers, food reporters, and other industry contacts. Publishing terms are also defined.
You Can Write a Cookbook (ISBN 0-89879-923-6) is published by Writer's Digest Books. It is 122 pages and retails for $12.95. It can be found in bookstores.
Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
