Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods

Rating:
Summary: Yum and Yay
Review: A wonderful addition to the growing raw-foods cookbook list! This is a delightfully written, very engaging book that would be an excellent introduction for anyone interested in a living foods lifestyle.

The first half of the book is a compilation of information, from advice and the benefits of going raw to a comprehensive list of foods, tools and techniques. Very useful for the beginner (even veteran raw foodists might learn a thing or two).

The second part of the book consists of Renee's delicious vegan recipes (no animal products or dairy). Everything I have tried is tasty, elegant and nicely balanced and her desserts are outrageous!

Unlike Trotter and Klein's wonderful but complex "Raw", the offerings here are very easy to assemble. My one complaint is that many of the side notes and paragraph headings are printed in very pale gray. The lack of contrast makes these very difficult to read... it's a design flaw but doesn't diminish the overall quality of the book.

As a raw chef, myself, I think Renee has done a masterful job of creating a book that will appeal to everyone. Simple, straight forward and delicious. There is a real sense of love and joy that pervades this book. Highly recommended!!

Bon appetit!

Rating:
Summary: Inspired Cuisine with Grace and Spirit
Review: A wonderful addition to the growing raw-foods cookbook list! This is a delightfully written, very engaging book that would be an excellent introduction for anyone interested in a living foods lifestyle.

The first half of the book is a compilation of information, from advice and the benefits of going raw to a comprehensive list of foods, tools and techniques. Very useful for the beginner (even veteran raw foodists might learn a thing or two).

The second part of the book consists of Renee's delicious vegan recipes (no animal products or dairy). Everything I have tried is tasty, elegant and nicely balanced and her desserts are outrageous!

Unlike Trotter and Klein's wonderful but complex "Raw", the offerings here are very easy to assemble. My one complaint is that many of the side notes and paragraph headings are printed in very pale gray. The lack of contrast makes these very difficult to read... it's a design flaw but doesn't diminish the overall quality of the book.

As a raw chef, myself, I think Renee has done a masterful job of creating a book that will appeal to everyone. Simple, straight forward and delicious. There is a real sense of love and joy that pervades this book. Highly recommended!!

Bon appetit!

Rating:
Summary: More than 300 sumptuous gourmet recipes
Review: Compiled by Renee Loux Underkoffler, Living Cuisine: The Art And Spirit Of Raw Foods presents more than 300 sumptuous gourmet recipes. Tut this is far more than just another cookbook. Living Cuisine explains in detail the techniques and methods to healthfully and safely prepare raw foods and deftly bring out their flavor. Underkoffler (an expert raw-food chef and the former co-owner of the Raw Experience restaurant in Maui) offers professional techniques for balancing flavors, juicing, sprouting, fermenting, dehydrating, blanching, garnishing, and so much more. These high quality recipes include Vanilla Bean Cookies; Basic Buckwheat Crunch Cereal; and Layered Nueva Corntillas among many more delicious favorites. A superb guide for those seeking to explore the health benefits and fine culinary taste of raw foods, Living Cuisine is a welcome and much appreciated addition to any gourmet cookbook collection.

Rating:
Summary: Delicious every time!
Review: I took 2 classes with the author in NYC this fall, and her food was amazing, so I eagerly awaited the book! So far, my boyfriend (who is not raw) and I love everything we have made. The pies are especially fabulous, and better than all cooked pies I have had. They are incredibly rich and delicious. I have also made the pasta puttanesca and linguine alfredo, sundried tomato flax crackers, caesar dressing, ginger miso dressing, strawberry and cream smoothie, and zucchinni spelt flatbread. The two pies we made were the Mango Papaya Coconut Creme with Raspberry Frosting, and the Walnut Pear Torte. Amazing.
She does include some recipes for steamed vegetable side dishes, as she writes that some harder veggies may be difficult for some people to digest and assimilate in their raw form. Even if, as a strict raw-foodist, you were against this, I would still recommend buying this book. Everything is delicious, and very creative. The food is rich and luxurious, and if you are serving non-rawfood people, these are recipes that will really impress them. The first half of the book has in-depth information about raw food ingredients and techniques, such as sprouting, culturing, and fermenting. good for a raw foods introduction, as well as "advanced" cooks. If you are not a raw-foodist, you will still love the recipes, so if you would like to eat more fresh food, this is a great book. Some gadgets like a dehydrator and blender are necessary for some recipes, but others don't require them. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Yum and Yay
Review: The lovely Renee has distilled her years of wisdom into an info-packed tome of good, happy eating. This book is about eating and preparing food that fuels and supports the body, mind and spirit. I have had the good fortune to know Renee and partake of her scrumptious pies at her former restaurant in Maui; her enthusiasm and compassion shines through every page. I have yet to try the recipes, but I've already gotten myself some red quinoa (who knew it came in colors other than beige?) and have been reminded of the importance of food as a healing and supportive element in my life and not just stomach-stuffing. I'm grateful to have this book to guide me back to eating well. I'm also glad that now when people say, "You're a vegetarian? But what do you eat?" I'll have something to show them -- something brimming with solid information, flavor, vitality and yum.