Buying Spree
Sometimes I look at the bookcase full of vegetarian cookbooks in my kitchen, and declare that I do NOT need another cookbook…. But these days, appealing vegan cookbooks are being published at a lively clip—and it’s a market I want to support! Here are three recent ones with so much personality and originality that I could not resist taking them home:
The Urban Vegan, by blogger Dynise Balcavage is fun because it is arranged around themes—such as “Cafe Culture,” “Lunch Cart,” and “Happy Hour”—so that you can imagine you’re on vacation in some sophisticated urban vegan paradise. The recipes are intriguing, but “do-able”—such as Quince-Cranberry Sauce and Parsnips St. Jacques—and Balcavage’s commentary is lively and charming. The recipes I’ve tried, such as a rich Spaghetti Carbonara and Winter Pesto (based on spinach rather than basil) have turned out well.
The Kind Diet by actress Alicia Silverstone first lays out the reasons for going vegan – for the animals, for your health, for the planet. Then Alicia—after reading her friendly writing, you’ll feel like you’re on a first-name basis with her—offers three plans, to help readers ease into veganism at their own pace, from “flirts” who are interested but not yet committed to veganism; vegans ready to cut out meat, eggs and dairy; and “superheroes” who add a macrobiotic slant to the vegan diet. The recipes I’ve tried have been very clearly written, straightforward and delicious. I’ve made the tasty Ginger-Baked Tofu twice already, and eaten my way through an entire pan of the Crispy Peanut Butter Treats with Chocolate Chips. Next on my agenda: the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Alicia has a blog, too, The Kind Life.
The Conscious Cook by chef Tal Ronnen presents gourmet recipes, the kind whose descriptive names go on almost forever: “oven-roasted Banana Rum Cheesecake with spiced pecan crust and maple rum sauce.” Some of the recipes may challenge my kitchen skills –- but should be fun and rewarding to make. The book has nice layout and photography, and includes profiles of vegan chefs and restaurants, as well as interviews with vegan pioneers, such as the man who introduced quinoa to the U.S. I just got it Monday, and think the paella (full name “Paella with ‘sausage,’ nori-dusted oyster mushroms, and wine-braised artichoke hearts”) may be the first recipe I’ll try. Ronnen’s Website is also rewarding because it includes a few recipes and videos of Ronnen cooking them.
