The History Book Club discussion

This is a wonderful cookbook by the guru of vegetarian meals. And it is not just for the vegetarian.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

by Deborah Madison

Synopsis:

The tenth anniversary edition of this landmark cookbook, with more than 325,000 copies in print, includes a new introduction from Deborah Madison, America’s leading authority on vegetarian cooking.

What Julia Child is to French cooking, Deborah Madison is to vegetarian cooking—a demystifier and definitive guide to the subject. 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. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone 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 in every way Deborah Madison’s magnum opus, featuring 1,400 recipes suitable for committed vegetarians, vegans (in most cases), and everyone else who loves good food. For nonvegetarians, the recipes can be served alongside meat, fish, or fowl and incorporated into a truly contemporary style of eating that emphasizes vegetables and fruits for health and well-being.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is the most comprehensive vegetarian cookbook ever published. The 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. 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.

How to Cook Indian: More Than 500 Classic Recipes for the Modern Kitchen

by Sanjeev Kapoor

Synopsis:

Sanjeev Kapoor burst onto the scene in India with an easy, no-fuss cooking approach. More than a decade later, he is a global sensation with an international media empire that is rooted in this philosophy. In How to Cook Indian, Kapoor introduces American audiences to this simple cooking approach with a definitive book that is the only Indian cookbook you will ever need. His collection covers the depth and diversity of Indian recipes, including such favorites as butter chicken, palak paneer, and samosas, along with less-familiar dishes that are sure to become new favorites, including soups and shorbas; kebabs, snacks, and starters; main dishes; pickles and chutneys; breads; and more. The ingredients are easy to find, and suggested substitutions make these simple recipes even easier.

"Those interested in expanding upon their collection of (brilliant, essential, important) books from Madhur Jaffrey, or in adding a reference work to accompany Suvir Saran's terrific Indian Home Cooking, may do well to make Kapoor's acquaintance."
-The New York Times

"Cool as a grated cucumber and mellow as a mango lassi, Sanjeev Kapoor is poised to conquer those few corners of the world where he and his food are not yet well known."
-Washington Post

Well that is a nice add - thank you