The Vegetarian Table: America

All sorts of really great recipes that we seem to have grown up with or experienced here and there. Fantastic pictures to inspire you throughout. Lots of variety - from salads and things you'd see at a picnic to casseroles and side dishes. Some of the things I've tried are: marinated artichokes (much better than buying them in the jar from the supermarket), boston black bean soup (I add a bit of sherry to mine but otherwise, great recipe), corn chowder (super), salad w/ goddess dressing, coleslaw (had a nice twist of horseradish which I would not have thought of), egg salad sandwich (nothing too adventurous here but she does add green pepper which I hadn't tried before), sinach souffle. These were all really good. I've liked all of Deborah Madison's cookbooks - every one has been a winner for me and this one is no exception.

This book is a bargain at its full price, but given the offer, it is a true find. Grab it! Deborah Madison is an accomplished food writer with several other vegetarian cookbooks to her credit. This one focuses on traditional American foods and ingredients. I made several recipes out of this book over the holidays-Corn Pudding and Hominy Grits Casserole are two that were especially popular. The book is visually pleasing, and the recipes turn out like the photographs. Madison is a lucid, non-preachy writer and the recipes are easy to follow. She does not insult the reader with hard-to-find ingredients or complicated procedures. While American culinary traditions are thought of as meat-oriented, she has done a fine job of reminding us that our heritage includes worthy vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products. Although not for vegans, this collection works well for ovo-lactos as well as carnivores who are seeking ways to complement or de-emphasize meat in their diets.

This was the first book from the Vegetarian Table series that I purchased, and it remains one of my favorites. The recipes are not only attractive, but easy to make. The book is illustrated with great photos.

Everything from Pear Chutney to Fried Green Tomatoes! Deborah Madison certainly livened up some old favorites but still kept them simple and fairly quick. My personal favorite is the Broiled Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cheese!! There is nothing boring nor to extreme in this vegetarian cookbook. I am not a diehard vegan so this is a good compromise with dairy and veggies.

I was wowed by this book. The pictures are gorgeous and the recipes, vegetarian versions of American classics, are appealing and useful. However, I checked another of Ms. Madison's cookbooks out from the library and I was *not* impressed--the recipes were very fancy with nonsensically long names.