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49th out of 696 books
—
663 voters
Vegetarian Epicure
A friendly informal tone and some splendid recipes have made this a perennial bestseller. For all who love the fruits of the earth and the art of cooking. A classic with almost a million copies sold to date.
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
May 12th 1972
by Vintage
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Feb 05, 2008
Tama
added it
I agree that the grass smoking references in this book were pretty d---- funny...You're not going to see THAT in any other entertaining section of a cookbook anytime soon, folks.I love the artwork as well,and I'm looking forward to making the spinach lasagna....Oh, the book is very small-I expected it to be quite large, but it's packed with some good stuff...and no, i don't smoke, but thanks for asking...
When I was sixteen, my parents let my sister and I each pick one book to buy for our three-week camping vacation. I picked The Vegetarian Epicure. I read it cover to cover and over and over again that summer. When we got back home, I used it to cook vegetarian meals for my family. They had let me quit eating meat as long as my mother didn't have to do any extra cooking. My mother is part Polish, so these recipes were not only delicious but familiar, which helped us all adapt to my new eating sty...more
As a vegetarian cookbook, it's fine in an unreconstructed hippie sort of way, but the best part of this book is the introduction, in which the author offers suggestions on how to entertain, noting that certain dishes are wonderful for snacking "if grass is smoked socially in your home" and your guests develop "the munchies."
UPDATE: Some friends and I just started a project where each week we are going to cook from a different cookbook in our collections and try to get through all of them in a ye...more
UPDATE: Some friends and I just started a project where each week we are going to cook from a different cookbook in our collections and try to get through all of them in a ye...more
My dad gave this book to me, which is kind of weird, what with the pot references, but I have to say that, although I've only actually tried a few recipes in this book, I give it 4 stars because it has my absolute most favourite EVER cornbread recipe. I don't generally eat large portions of much of anything, but I could eat the entire batch of that cornbread. It's just *that* good.
Darn it. Now I'm going to have to bake some.
Darn it. Now I'm going to have to bake some.
Even though half of the book are recipes I wouldn't use, I have to give this book four stars because I love grassroots publications from the 70s. There's something about a book with charming illustrations of natural living, printed in brown ink on unbleached paper that warms my heart. I also appreciate when the ink budget is so tight that only three colours are used (which usually end up being brown, green, and orange). References to smoking grass don't hurt either.
I look forward to trying many...more
I look forward to trying many...more
Just another vote for "amusing trip down memory lane"; boy, haven't we come a long way in terms of tasty vegetarian food, now! That said, it's still worth owning, although by no means suggesting it be the only vegetarian cookbook, much less the first. I inherited my mother's copy, and treasure it for her rating system of "spots"--i.e. how stained that recipe's page got in the course of returning to it.
Most people would not put a cookbook in a list of books to read. However, Anna Thomas includes narrative of her relationship with food, entertainment, and life that is really a good read in itself. The food (recipes), by the way, is fabulous. She has the best hummus recipe ever.
Dec 14, 2008
Joan
added it
As my family will note, this is my most beloved tattered cookbook that I used when my children were growing up and I was attempting to get them to eat healthy. God Bless young families..these recipes are simple and ample.
My favorite vegetarian cookbook ever. The stuffed pumpkin is especially unique, and a great holiday meal. The spanakopita is a go-too classic for fine dining. Her menus are inspired and her recipes excellent and unusual.
I bought this book when it first was published and I had just become a vegetarian. So for me it is like my vegetarian bible. I loved the recipes. This is not low calorie or fat free but just a lot of great recipes.
This book (& the second volume) were my go-to cookbooks in the 70s. They have aged somewhat (I cook in a much healthier way these days) but there are still great recipes here.
I've been using this cookbook since it came out in 1972. The recipes are excellent. The cream of artichoke soup is wonderful. But, then, I think most of the recipes are.
This is a classic. It's beautifully written, unpretentious, lyrical and lovely. There are so many lovely things in it to cook. Highly recommended.
What a find! Polish vegetarian dishes! However, I considered subtracting a star for the reliance on a heavy amount of rich dairy.
This really is a classic, and has provided my family with numerous wholesome and delightful memories of mealtime.
Classic cookbook! Has yellow pages now, but can't get rid of it...too many good recipes :)
Well, way back when, when I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian, before I went vegan, this and its sequel were my favorite cookbooks. I don't cook that often, but I actually made many of the recipes in this book and they were delicious. I have not picked up the book since my first attempts to go vegan in 1988 as there were so many vegan cookbooks to try, but for a decade, this book was indispensable. The few omnivorous friends I subjected to my cooking, very much enjoyed the food as well. I guess it’s da...more
Used it so much over the years, it is in shreds. Perennially useful.
wonderful recipes that ive had since childhood and still love today!
Jun 11, 2009
Ehbluemle Bluemle
added it
Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas (1972)
I have made many meals from these recipes.
From way back, my adventure in vegan.
May 05, 2009
Leeann
added it
great tips and ideas
I reference this book often!
You really feel like you're taking a trip back to the early 70's when you open this book. The serifed font, basic layout, and wonderful line drawings enhance these very basic vegetarian recipes. The only problem is that some of the recipes actually call for MSG and bac-o-bits (?). What this landmark of a book truly illustrates is that we've come a long way in Vegetarian Cuisine since 1972.
I'm revisiting this book because I'm paying attention to my diet -- again. It has been on my shelves for a long time and the pages are aged with various ingredients as well as wear and tear. The recipes are not necessarily low-fat, but they are great. I get my vegetarian comfort food recipes out of here. The corn and cheddar chowder recipe is worth the price of the book.
Dec 09, 2011
Peter
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes vegetarian cooking
Shelves:
i-own
Although it can be a little hard to get hold of a copy now (unless it has been reprinted), it is well worth the effort.
Be careful with the desserts though. I put on 5 lbs. every time I read some of my favorite dessert recipes, without even lifting a whisk!
Be careful with the desserts though. I put on 5 lbs. every time I read some of my favorite dessert recipes, without even lifting a whisk!
This is one of the most fun books in the world to read. She is hilarious. And having lived through the seventies, i so appreciate everything she talks about. It also has, hands down, the best Spinach Lasagna recipe in the world.
I love some of the recipes in this book. The recipes, due to the author's background have a very European feeling. Russian Vegetable Pie is one of my all time favorites and for desert, how about a ginger cheesecake!!
again...i am always reading this...sitting at the kitchen table, thinking about yummy food!
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| The Vegetarian Epicure | 3 | 10 | May 04, 2012 08:24am |
Anna Thomas is the author of The Vegetarian Epicure cookbooks and a screenwriter. She lives in Ojai, California."
More about Anna Thomas...
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Feb 08, 2008 04:01pm
Feb 08, 2008 06:53pm