Rating: 
Summary: A classic. I highly recommend this book.
Review: When I was 18 my mother gave me The Good Housekeeping Cookbook. This cookbook has been her guide most of her married life, and has served me well for more than ten years. Unfortunatly, as a mostly meatless eater I have struggled at times to "fix" the recipes so that they fit my lifestyle. For Christmas this year I was given Deborah Madison's book. I own many vegetarian cookbooks but they often contain complicated recipes that need a lot of prep time. Ms. Madison's cookbook will fill a long needed void by providing a reference cookbook, filled with classic reciepes and techniques, all geared towards a vegetarian lifestlye. It is a perfect book for a new vegetarian... or even my Mom! My Good Housekeeping Cookbook will always be a part of my kitchen shelf, but it will have a new permanent neighbor.
Rating: 
Summary: less than impressed
Review: I purchased this book because I saw so many excellent reviews of it on this page. I should preface my review by saying that I love to cook, but I am not an avid lover of vegetables. I like to find interresting ways to cook them to make them more tasty to me. Since this book was titled "Vegetables for Everyone", I figured I'd find lots of good, interresting, tasty recipes. I was EXTREMELY disappointed. The book focuses as much on non-vegetables, such as grains and startches as it does on vegetables. And even worse, the recipes for vegetables in it are less than interresting. There are countless recipes, for example, that call for nothing more than a boiled green (such as rube broccoli, spinache, etc.) with just olive oil or butter, lemon and a little salt thrown on top. I don't need a cookbook for this kind of cooking, thanks anyway. After having looked through it, I see that the book is indeed a counterpart to the Joy of Cooking in that it covers just about every non-meat food and is well organized by main ingredient. But the recipes are dull and boring. They do nothing to "spice up" the vegetables, just present them in the same old fashion. I don't know who the recipes are supposed to appeal to. Certainly not avid cooks. They are very simplistic recipes. But at the same time, many recipes call for one odd ingredient that the average person is not likely to have in the home on a regular basis, such as some exotic cheese or spice that I've never heard of. There is one group for whom the book is appropriate - people who love vegetables in their most pure form and want to know the basics on how to cook them. But for anyone looking for new and exciting ways to cook vegetables, this isn't the book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, Easy-to-use and execute
Review: I found the book very easy-to-use and the recipes even easier to execute. In the past, most cookbooks I've used I've had to "fiddle with the ingredients " to get it to taste the way I wanted it, but the few recipes that I have made have been delicious from the start. I also love the vegetable section and I have been trying different vegetables that in the past I avoided because I didn't know how to prepare them.
Rating:
Summary: Vegetables Aren't Just for Vegetarians Anymore
Review: Deborah Madison's latest book represents nothing short of a culinary masterpiece. For too long, fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes have been treated as gastronomical afterthoughts - "accompaniments" suggested at the end of a recipe or a mere ingredient to be added to some larger dish. Ironically, many vegetarian cookbooks have actually contributed to this phenomenon. In a well-intentioned - but not always well-executed attempt to get people to eat less or no meat, many vegetarian cookbooks have subordinated vegetables to the function of "meat substitute." This is unfortunate because when prepared well and creatively (and without any Textured Vegetable Protein) vegetables, grains and legumes can be as memorable as the main dish ... especially when they are the main dish. No single cookbook has ever demonstrated this philosophy better than "Vegetarian for Everyone." As a moderate meat-eater who thinks the new Inverted Pyramid diet guidelines are the best thing that ever happened to American cuisine, I'm convinced "Vegetarian for Everyone" is destined to become our generation's "The Joy of Cooking." It reflects a deep respect for the simplicity of well-prepared foods and provides undeniable proof of Ms. Madison's profound talents as a chef. It's also a lot of fun to read. The title of the book, however, is something of a misnomer. "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" really isn't a "vegetarian" cookbook. Vegetarian cookbooks are preoccupied with tofu, TVP and grain-mixtures that are supposed to stand-in for everything from fois gras to hot dogs. There is no substituting for fois gras, and Ms. Madison realizes this. Instead of yet another take on the Garden Burger, we're given Smoked Black Bean Dip with homemade New Mexican flour tortillas and fresh pico de gallo; Sautéed Matchsticks of Zucchini in Garlic Yogurt Sauce; Roasted Red Pepper sauce that begs to be ladled over stuffed mushrooms; and yes, even homemade mayonnaise (tofu or egg-based, take your pick.) Ms. Madison does offer her take on some vegan standards - including a grain burger, I believe - but these types of recipes do not constitute the bulk of the book. The book itself is extremely well-organized, with natural divisions between the foods discussed. A tremendous amount of information on vegetables, grains and legumes is there for the taking - making "Vegetarian for Everyone" as much of a reference book as a cookbook. The margin notes that she provides with each recipe offer a wealth of insight into serving suggestions, as well as anecdotes and tips from her professional and pre-professional years in the kitchen. One of the most valuable aspects of this book is the extensive treatment given to sauces, condiments and salad dressings. By using these recipes alone, you can add new dimensions to just about any food you prepare - meats and vegetables alike. Buy the book, prepare the recipes, and enjoy. This cookbook will be covered with stains before you know it. And many thanks to Deborah, who I understand spent more than five years on this book - you've created nothing short of a classic.
Rating: 
Summary: A Cooking Wish Come True
Review: Days before I happened upon this hefty tome in the store, I was complaining to a fellow vegetarian that I needed a cookbook that was organized by primary ingredient. My friend and I belong to the Good Earth Community Sponsored Agriculture farm (CSA) and had begun to get a dazzling, and sometimes puzzling, variety of vegetables each week. What, I wondered, should I DO with Swiss chard? What shall I make with the abundance of cabbage we received? What goes well with (lots of) carrots? Deborah Madison's latest book, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, answers those questions and many, many more. In addition to being full of practical information on choosing and preparing vegetables, the recipes are organized by dish in some cases, by ingredient in others. Where else would one find a section titled "Chicories?" Well-written and full of apparently well-tested recipes, this cookbook became an instant favorite on a bookshelf with upwards of 100 (nearly all) vegetarian cookbooks!
Rating:
Summary: This book is truly outstanding!
Review: I collect cookbooks; most of the books in my kitchen feature vegetarian cooking. Therefore, I can't tell you how surprised I was to discover that Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone has added an entirely new dimension to my cooking. First of all, the book makes thorougly enjoyable reading material. In the months since I've purchased this book, I've found myself cooking from its pages virtually every day... and the most pleasing thing is that I'm cooking from the book, not BY the book. The recipes are both inspired and inspiring, from the grilled cheese and strawberry jam on rye (now a staple light supper for me) to vegetable gratins to simple but classy appetizers (my friends now take it for granted that they will be treated to oven-baked olives and crostini when they come to visit), this book has helped me become a confident and casual vegetarian cook. I have given copies as gifts to every friend I know who enjoys cooking- vegetarian and non-vegetari! an alike- and they have been just as enthusiastic about it as I am.
Rating:
Summary: The "joy of cooking" for the 21st century
Review: This book has become an essential part of my kitchen. The writing style is clear and simple. Sections address basics, like best ways to cook broccoli or roast peppers, as well as gourmet recipes for all occasions. I like most the "side notes" that give suggestions for how to serve the dish, what sauces might be complementary, and potential menus. By using this book, I'm becoming a more confident, creative cook. I can't praise Madison's book highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: The best cookbook of any kind since "The Splendid Table"
Review: This book is complete. The author teaches how to cook in a clear and interesting way. The recipes are tasty, appealing and unique. This is simply the best cookbook on the market since "The Splendid Table" and will surely be one of my all-time ever favorite books!
Rating:
Summary: Everyone who loves to cook should have this book,
Review: and everyone who loves to eat should live with someone else who has this book! I can't add much to the above (below?) reviews because they are thoughtful, insightful, and well-written; however, what I can say is it's too bad this book isn't "Vegetable" Cooking for Everyone instead of "Vegetarian" because I'm afraid non-vegetarian cooks will avoid it. My advice to them is don't ignore it, buy this book immediately and start using it to the exclusion of everything else in your kitchen for awhile. You will be well-rewarded and so will everyone for whom you cook. I have two homes in which I cook, and although I like a lot of cookbooks, some are "two-copy" cookbooks - I have to have it in both places. This book qualifies. Enjoy it and thanks, Deborah, for such a fabulous work.
Rating:
Summary: Simply elegant. A pleasure to read, enjoyable to cook from.
Review: "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison is one the finest cookbook, vegetarian or otherwise, I've ever used. Ms. Madison writes with simple elegance. "Vegararian Cooking..." is easy to read and a joy to use. My first criteria for cooking is how available are the ingredients. Relying on fresh and commonly found ingredients Ms. Madison has put together a cookbook that anyone can use. As I read the book, my first impression was the receipes might not be overly flavorful, however, cooking techniques and creative use of subtle flavorings creates dishes which are richly satisfying without being overwhelming. I was especially glad to read her comment about sensible eating of fat. With no fear of the Fat Police, Ms. Madison's common sense approach to cooking and eating fat results in a fine balance between healthy eating and moderate indulgenge. This book should be in the kitchen of anyone who enjoys good eating. This is truly a first-rate cookbook for vegetarians and meat-eaters like.
|
