Linda McCartney's Home Cooking

This is a wonderful cookbook with lots of kitchen tips as well as color photographs and great recipes. But I ordered a copy that was listed as "like new", and the page edges were discolored and the book is so musty smelling that I can't even have it in the house. A great disappointment.

I picked this up on a whim and I'm glad I did. It is written in a very comfortable, casual style and makes you feel as if Linda is really sharing her family recipes. The recipes themselves are unpretentious, and tasty! (I highly recommend the Shepherd's Pie!) The book is written from a lacto-ovo veg perspective, and uses a lot of meat substitutes. Mainstream families would easily be able to incorporate these into a "less meat" lifestyle, or transitioning into vegetarianism. One note, it has a very "British" feel, so you have to keep in mind that "vegetarian mince" is hamburger substitute, etc, other British terms. Also, since she DOES use a lot of meat substitutes, you have to keep an eye on whether she is using TVP, frozen vegetarian ground beef, etc., and also the proportions of the frozen/dried meat analogs. But don't let this put you off. It is easy to catch on. The photos are lovely and mouth watering, too. It is such a great book, and makes me sad that Linda left us so early in her life. May she rest in peace.

I picked this book up more than 7 years ago. I have used it more than any book in my collection. It is friendly to the budget and beginner cook. The Burgers Bourguignonne, Pea Soup, and Lentil Soup are all fantastic. The pictures are enough to make your mouth water and draw you right back when you make your grocery list. I am in love with this book, and wouldn't know what to do with out it. Thank you Linda. I wish I could tell you how much I love these recipes.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I bought the hardback when it first came out and am now getting the softback. There's a substantial (30 page) fruit, veggie, grain, bean, nut and herb description/ how-to-select guide in the beginning. Also some very interesting info and graphs on why `going veggie' can be healthier for the individual and the planet. There aren't as many vegan dishes as in her 2 more recent books and although a number of recipes rely on heavier dairy products, I take that as being part of a `hearty' British love for things like creamed soups. :) The recipes you do find generally don't require special trips to the store or refined cooking skills. Since it has a wide selection of main courses (from the standard rice + beans and lasagnas, more exotic meatless loafs) I'd say it's a good place for omnivores to start trying vegetarian. My favorites are the quiche, cheese soufflé and those great eggplant dishes. Wonderful photography (actually makes you want to *eat* the food)!

I really enjoy this book. There are clear, plain-English explanations regarding types of foods used, nutrition, and meal ideas in the front of the book. The recipes include common ingredients that are probably already on your shelf or are very easily, and inexpensively, obtained at the grocery store. The recipes are suitable for families with children or for two person dinners. Being simple recipes, those that aren't already so, are adaptable to lowered fat / lowered calorie adjustments. A thoroughly usable, practical cookbook all around.

Linda McCartney's Home Cooking was one of the first cookbooks I bought when I went vegetarian, and it continues to be the one I return to again and again. The recipes are simple, easy, and always right on, and they usually use basic ingredients that you're likely to have on hand. This book is especially good for new vegetarians, meat eaters, and those turned off by stereotypically vegetarian fare, because the recipes are very satisfying versions of fairly standard kinds of dishes. It is also an excellent introduction to cooking with meat substitutes. There are those that will find fault with the book for its generous use of butter, cheese and the like, but recipes are easily modified by using less fat and/or vegan alternatives. This is an excellent, reliable, basic vegetarian cookbook that should be required reading for those new to vegetarianism, contemplating it, or doubting that such food can be satisfying. Especially good: Madras Onion Curry, Beefless Rice Casserole, and Shepherd's Pie.