Vegan cooking from simple to sublime

[Guest guest]

http://www2.canada.com/northshorenews/news/taste/story.html?id=d45f9180-6d79-42e\

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Terry Peters, North Shore News

Published: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

- Great Chefs Cook Vegan by Linda Long, Gibbs Smith Publishers, 272 pages,

$38.95.

 

To reinforce the notion that vegan cooking does not have to be uninspiring Linda

Long sought out 25 top chefs to produce this book.

 

Each one has provided recipes for a three or four-course vegan meal. The meals

are presented with well laid out instructions and accompanied by beautiful

photographs.

 

Each chef introduces their recipes with comments on their approach. Some of the

quotes are delightful, like Daniel Boulud's remark, " The better the soil, the

better the soup. "

 

From simple to sublime the recipes will leave you with the desire to gather the

freshest organic vegetables you can find to create your own taste sensations.

 

- Vegan a Go-Go! by Sarah Kramer, Arsenal Pulp Press, 230 pages, $17.95.

 

Maintaining good nutritional practices while travelling can be a challenge for

most people but for those following a vegan diet it can be even more of a

challenge. To help when heading down that road is the latest book from Sarah

Kramer.

 

In a pocket sized format the book is easy to slip into your bag and have at hand

whenever you need some help to create a good meal when away from home.

 

This is much more than a traveller's cookbook; there are plenty of good travel

tips that cover much more than food choices. She even includes an inspirational

story of how on one trip a shocking incident motivated to do her first cookbook.

 

At the heart of the book are the recipes that cover a wide range of meals and

snacks all with easy to find ingredients. It is no wonder that Herbivore

magazine gave Kramer the title of the " The World's Coolest Vegan. "

 

- Get It Ripe by Jae Steele, Arsenal Pulp Press, 270 pages, $23.95.

 

This is a recipe book that goes well beyond the basics. This is much more than a

collection of recipes that exclude meat as an ingredient. Author Jae Steele uses

most of the first half of the book to examine the essentials of a vegan

lifestyle before moving on to provide a wide selection of delicious vegan

recipes.

 

Beginning with a look at what informed eating means and how to make good food

choices can improve your health. She describes the essential ingredients for

your pantry and the kitchen equipment you don't want to be without, all before

she even begins the examination of preparation methods and how they vary for the

different food types.

 

The easy to follow recipes cover everything from breakfasts to desserts and

every eating scenario in between. This collection is an excellent resource for

both longtime vegans and those just starting out and will find a place of

prominence in your kitchen.