Product Description

What Julia Child is to French cooking and Marcella Hazan is to Italian cooking, Deborah Madison is to contemporary vegetarian cooking.  At Greens restaurant in San Francisco, where she was the founding chef, and in her two acclaimed vegetarian cookbooks, Madison elevated vegetarian cooking to new heights of sophistication, introducing many people to the joy of cooking without meat, whether occasionally or for a lifetime.  But after her many years as a teacher and writer, she realized that there was no comprehensive primer for vegetarian cooking, no single book that taught vegetarians basic cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients, and how to present vegetarian dishes with style.  Now, in a landmark cookbook that has been six years in the making, Madison teaches readers how to build flavor into vegetable dishes, how to develop vegetable stocks, and how to choose, care for, and cook the many vegetables available to cooks today.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is the most comprehensive vegetarian cookbook ever published.  The 1,400 recipes, which range from appetizers to desserts, are colorful and imaginative as well as familiar and comforting.  Madison introduces readers to innovative main course salads; warm and cold soups; vegetable braises and cobblers; golden-crusted gratins; Italian favorites like pasta, polenta, pizza, and risotto; savory tarts and galettes; grilled sandwiches and quesadillas; and creative dishes using grains and heirloom beans.  At the heart of the book is the A-to-Z vegetable chapter, which describes the unique personalities of readily available vegetables, the sauces and seasonings that best complement them, and the simplest ways to prepare them.  "Becoming a Cook" teaches cooking basics, from holding a knife to planning a menu, and "Foundations of Flavor" discusses how to use sauces, herbs, spices, oils, and vinegars to add flavor and character to meatless dishes.  In each chapter, the recipes range from those suitable for everyday dining to dishes for special occasions.  And through it all, Madison presents a philosophy of cooking that is both practical and inspiring.

Despite its focus on meatless cooking, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is not just for vegetarians: It's for everyone interested in learning how to cook vegetables creatively, healthfully, and passionately.  The recipes are remarkably straightforward, using easy-to-find ingredients in inspiring combinations.  Some are simple, others more complex, but all are written with an eye toward the seasonality of produce.  And Madison's joyful and free-spirited approach to cooking will send you into the kitchen with confidence and enthusiasm.  Whether you are a kitchen novice or an experienced cook, this wonderful cookbook has something for everyone.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11509 in Books
• Published on: 1997-10-01
• Released on: 1997-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 752 pages

Amazon.com Review
The elegant simplicity and exquisite flavor of Deborah Madison's food make her one of America's leading cooks. In Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, she offers more than great food: her book includes comprehensive information about ingredients and techniques, plus more than 800 recipes. The recipes range from dishes as familiar as Guacamole to those as distinctive as Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemons, and Cashew Curry. The 124-page chapter titled "Vegetables: The Heart of the Matter" is a virtual book of culinary revelations; you could use it as a manual on buying and preparing vegetables. Madison provides equally inspired recipes and guidance for everything from grains and soy to dairy foods and desserts.

From Library Journal
Madison, whose The Greens Cookbook sold more than 300,000 copies, offers recipes that will please even nonvegetarians.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Deborah Madison is an intuitive, intelligent, and passionate cook who presents her broad knowledge in a lovely, lyrical writing style. She has clearly poured all of these gifts into this impressive book, which I know will be an inspiration to experienced cooks and beginners alike." -- Mollie Katzen, host of public television's Mollie Katzen's Cooking Show, and author of The Moosewood Cookbook and Mollie Katzen's Vegetarian Heaven

"Deborah Madison is one of our country's finest cooks. Her recipes bring so much flavor, beauty, and excitement to the plate, but with so little fuss. The book is aptly named, for everybody, whether beginner, occasional, or passionate cook, meat eater or vegetarian or somewhere in between, will love this food. But Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is not only a cookbook. It's the standard text we've been waiting for, and I'm so glad Deborah Madison was the one to write it. By putting so much effort into this book, she has made cooking delicious, appealing, and healthful food every day that much easier for the rest of us." -- Martha Rose Shulman, author of Mexican Light, Provengal Light, and Mediterranean Light

"Here it is--the complete vegetarian bible."
--Susan Westmoreland, Good Housekeeping

"Whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is a stunning book worth having."
--Dana Jacobi, Amazon.com

* "It would be difficult to select a favorite section from this incredibly complete and triumphant effort." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"If I could have only one book on the subject of vegetables, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone would be it.  Deborah Madison has produced an impressive collection of  information, instruction, and recipes."
--Marion Cunningham, author of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

"Deborah Madison is an intuitive, intelligent, and passionate cook who presents her broad knowledge in a lovely, lyrical writing style.  She has clearly poured all of these gifts into this impressive book, which I know will be an inspiration to experienced cooks and beginners alike."
--Mollie Katzen, host of public television's Mollie Katzen's Cooking Show, and author of The Moosewood Cookbook and Mollie Katzen's Vegetarian Heaven

"Deborah Madison's new book is utterly credible and accessible, because she writes the same way she cooks and gardens: with passion and knowledge."
--Alice Waters, owner, Chez Panisse

"Deborah Madison is one of our country's finest cooks.  Her recipes bring so much flavor, beauty, and excitement to the plate, but with so little fuss.  The book is aptly named, for everybody, whether beginner, occasional, or passionate cook, meat eater or vegetarian or somewhere in between, will love this food.  But Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is not only a cookbook.  It's the standard text we've been waiting for, and I'm so glad Deborah Madison was the one to write it."
--Martha Rose Shulman, author of Mexican Light, Provenþal Light, and Mediterranean Light -- Review

"If I could have only one book on the subject of vegetables, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone would be it. Deborah Madison has produced an impressive collection of information, instruction, and recipes. This is a major work that reflects all of her talents." -- Marion Cunningham, author of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

* "It would be difficult to select a favorite section from this incredibly complete and triumphant effort." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

Customer Reviews

Classic standard for every kitchen
Vegitarian Cooking for Everyone really is a classic cookbook that teaches the fundamentals as well as everything that you need to know about cooking everything from grains and vegetables to pastas and everything in between. It is right there with Julia Child's The Way to Cook and Marion Cunningham's The Fannie Farmer Cookbook in it's level of importance and likely everyday practical use in any kitchen.

Nevertheless, as with The Way to Cook, this is much more than just a basics cookbook. It teaches an understanding about the foods that it address. To my mind, that is what makes a cookbook a great book and not just a compilation of recipes.

Fantastic
This is a wonderful cookbook. It was in perfect condition and arrived quicker than expected. I am not a vegetarian but the recipes in this book are unique and just reading through it makes my mouth water. I have made a few things already and everything has turned out splendidly.

skip it
I would say this book should be checked out at the library and thumbed through. I would not suggest purchasing it. Time consuming recipes, hard to follow, disorganized... It's not worth the high price, especially for someone that is cashing in on vegetarian cooking and she's not even a vegetarian. Buy a cookbook from a vegetarian author.