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The Forest Feast Mediterranean: Simple Vegetarian Recipes Inspired by My Travels
Erin Gleeson, New York Times bestselling author, celebrates the cuisines of France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy with a gorgeously illustrated cookbook and 100 vegetarian recipes that will transport you to the Mediterranean coast.
For years, Forest Feast readers have been transported to Erin Gleeson’s picturesque cabin in the woods through her stunning photography of magical gatherings and vibrant vegetarian cooking. Now, Gleeson transports readers to Europe, with recipes inspired by her exploration of the cultures and cuisines of France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy during an extended family trip.
Reimagining the flavors and signature dishes of this part of the Mediterranean, Gleeson presents 100 vegetarian recipes for creating effortless, unforgettable meals. Recipes include: Gleeson and her family traveled to Europe as a vacation and so she could do research. She says in her introduction, “I returned with new ideas, recipes, and a revitalized view of my life at home. One of the resounding lessons I’ve brought back is of slowing down to enjoy my meals.” With the recipes she offers here, you and your family, and guests, will want to slow down and savor every ingredient and flavor of your delicious vegetarian meals.
Filled with atmospheric images of coastal villages, charming watercolor illustrations, and mouthwatering food photography, The Forest Feast Mediterranean is an irresistible escape from the everyday, no matter where you might live.
For years, Forest Feast readers have been transported to Erin Gleeson’s picturesque cabin in the woods through her stunning photography of magical gatherings and vibrant vegetarian cooking. Now, Gleeson transports readers to Europe, with recipes inspired by her exploration of the cultures and cuisines of France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy during an extended family trip.
Reimagining the flavors and signature dishes of this part of the Mediterranean, Gleeson presents 100 vegetarian recipes for creating effortless, unforgettable meals. Recipes include: Gleeson and her family traveled to Europe as a vacation and so she could do research. She says in her introduction, “I returned with new ideas, recipes, and a revitalized view of my life at home. One of the resounding lessons I’ve brought back is of slowing down to enjoy my meals.” With the recipes she offers here, you and your family, and guests, will want to slow down and savor every ingredient and flavor of your delicious vegetarian meals.
Filled with atmospheric images of coastal villages, charming watercolor illustrations, and mouthwatering food photography, The Forest Feast Mediterranean is an irresistible escape from the everyday, no matter where you might live.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published September 17, 2019
88 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Erin Gleeson
17 books77 followersErin Gleeson is the New York Times best-selling author of The Forest Feast, a vegetarian cookbook based on her blog of the same name, www.theforestfeast.com. Erin worked as a food photographer in New York City for several years before moving to a cabin in the woods near San Francisco in 2011 which inspired her blog and books. The Forest Feast is a unique cookbook/art book blend, featuring simple, colorful, vegetable based recipes that are presented visually, with minimal text. Erin's own photography, watercolor illustration and hand-lettering guide you through the steps to make each dish. The Forest Feast noterie line was released in 2015 with stationery items like journals and art prints (available on Amazon), featuring Erin's watercolors and photography. She is currently creating two more cookbooks that come out in 2016, The Forest Feast for Kids and The Forest Feast Gatherings. Erin also teaches photography at the college level and works as a freelance food photographer and illustrator.
Follow her @theforestfeast and at www.theforestfeast.com.
Follow her @theforestfeast and at www.theforestfeast.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
March 21, 2023
Each dish is beautifully photographed. The recipes are simple and sound delicious. Most have very few ingredients. My chief complaint is that the recipes usually don’t have a list of ingredients at the beginning, so you have to read through the entire recipe to see what you need. Another downside is that the text is very faint and is often against a busy background. I doubt that I would be able to read it if I did not have the kindle edition.
September 17, 2019
While I love to travel, I think my introverted nature much prefers to hear all about other people's travel stories or to get lost in a good cookbook full of faraway places and food to match. What I love is picking up a book like, The Forest Feast Mediterranean by Erin Gleeson, to see all the places and food she experienced with her family over the month they spent travelling throughout Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal.
The Forest Feast Mediterranean is the fourth book from author/illustrator Erin Gleeson. Her others -- The Forest Feast, The Forest Feast for Kids, and The Forest Feast Gatherings (click here if you'd like to read my review of this one) -- are in the same bright and colourful style as her latest book. And, like the others TFFM is also a vegetarian-focused cookbook. I really appreciate how Gleeson brings her recipes to life using both pictures as well as her beautiful watercolour illustrations. Some of the words (such as titles or names of recipes, etc.) are painted or hand-written while the rest of the text looks like it was typed on an old typewriting creating the most charming effect. Each of Gleeson's books feels like you may be looking at her journal or personal recipe book. All these details work to show the readers that this relaxed style within the book matches her recipes.
I usually hesitate to use the word "all”, but I'll say it here: all her recipes can be made on a busy weeknight with time to spare. The recipes are vegetarian based by using eggs and dairy but many of the recipes are vegan or can be made vegan by using the right ingredient substitutions. Each recipe relies on only a handful of ingredients which you can find at any regular grocery store. Even a more time-consuming ingredient to make, such as dough, is store bought (which isn't to say that you can't make your own, but you can save time by not making it). I've found that her dishes look perfect on a weeknight dinner table, but they can also transition into those special occasions when you have guests over. Somehow Gleeson's recipes seem a little fancy or a bit extra without requiring more work, specialty ingredients, or kitchen prep.
Some may wonder how "authentic" her Mediterranean recipes are and I think the way in which she describes TFFM in the introduction is the answer: "While not necessarily authentic to each region we visited, the recipes in the pages that follow are inspired by the local dishes and ingredients we saw." To me, that sounds like what some of us do after we come home from a great trip where we've had amazing food experiences -- we try to recreate some of that magic felt while on vacation. The Forest Feast Mediterranean is a personal travelogue full of tasty meals!
The recipes are organized into seven chapters: Snacks, Drinks, Salads, Small Plates, Pasta, Vegetable Sides, Sweets -- with a couple of extra chapters, Mediterranean Dinner Party and a Travel Guide, full of ideas on hosting your own dinner party using recipes from the book or planning out your own trip to the Mediterranean. I really appreciated the interesting and informative head notes she's written for each recipe. I think I would have preferred more structure in terms of the recipes themselves -- while some recipes had a clear list of ingredients some did not. For the ones that did not (recipes such as the Caponata or the Eggplant Pizzettes) the home cook must carefully read through the instructions to discover the ingredients. In either case, the food was the same: absolutely delicious!
Speaking of delicious food, when I tried her recipe for Rosemary Socca I had this moment upon tasting it where I wondered, "Socca! Where have you been all my life??" It was my first time trying this iconic recipe and for those who haven't had the pleasure of tasting it, a socca is a savoury pancake made from chickpea flour. Baked in a hot oven on a cast iron skillet the socca is one of the most delicious foods. I can already see so many ways to experiment with its seasoning and what to serve it with. It also has the added benefit of being gluten free for those looking to find a stellar gluten-free recipe!
A recipe my 5-year-old daughter loved to make and eat from the book is the Mini Artichoke Lasagnas. Assembled in ramekins, my daughter was able to do it herself! Scooping the chopped marinated artichokes and sauce, layering the noodles, and topping it off with cheese was a deeply satisfying activity for her! And, since she was so invested in making this dish she ate heartily at the dinnertime. Maybe it's that universal truth that food tastes great when you make it yourself! My husband pointed out the fact that those "fancy little lasagnas" would be just the thing if we had company over, which just goes to illustrate my earlier point about the versatility of Gleeson's food. Some of the other recipes we really enjoyed were the Eggplant Pizzettes, the Spaghetti with Lentil "Meatballs," and the Fried Ricotta Gnocchi.
I really appreciate Gleeson's artistic talent and the unique visual style of her books -- by pairing beautiful illustrations with each recipe it's almost like she's reinvented the recipe as a new type of infographic. As with all her other books, The Forest Feast Mediterranean, is full of easy to make and delicious to eat vegetarian recipes that the whole family can enjoy together.
Please note that this is an excerpt of a review posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.wordpress.com.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Manda Books and Abrams Books for providing me with a free advanced of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Forest Feast Mediterranean is the fourth book from author/illustrator Erin Gleeson. Her others -- The Forest Feast, The Forest Feast for Kids, and The Forest Feast Gatherings (click here if you'd like to read my review of this one) -- are in the same bright and colourful style as her latest book. And, like the others TFFM is also a vegetarian-focused cookbook. I really appreciate how Gleeson brings her recipes to life using both pictures as well as her beautiful watercolour illustrations. Some of the words (such as titles or names of recipes, etc.) are painted or hand-written while the rest of the text looks like it was typed on an old typewriting creating the most charming effect. Each of Gleeson's books feels like you may be looking at her journal or personal recipe book. All these details work to show the readers that this relaxed style within the book matches her recipes.
I usually hesitate to use the word "all”, but I'll say it here: all her recipes can be made on a busy weeknight with time to spare. The recipes are vegetarian based by using eggs and dairy but many of the recipes are vegan or can be made vegan by using the right ingredient substitutions. Each recipe relies on only a handful of ingredients which you can find at any regular grocery store. Even a more time-consuming ingredient to make, such as dough, is store bought (which isn't to say that you can't make your own, but you can save time by not making it). I've found that her dishes look perfect on a weeknight dinner table, but they can also transition into those special occasions when you have guests over. Somehow Gleeson's recipes seem a little fancy or a bit extra without requiring more work, specialty ingredients, or kitchen prep.
Some may wonder how "authentic" her Mediterranean recipes are and I think the way in which she describes TFFM in the introduction is the answer: "While not necessarily authentic to each region we visited, the recipes in the pages that follow are inspired by the local dishes and ingredients we saw." To me, that sounds like what some of us do after we come home from a great trip where we've had amazing food experiences -- we try to recreate some of that magic felt while on vacation. The Forest Feast Mediterranean is a personal travelogue full of tasty meals!
The recipes are organized into seven chapters: Snacks, Drinks, Salads, Small Plates, Pasta, Vegetable Sides, Sweets -- with a couple of extra chapters, Mediterranean Dinner Party and a Travel Guide, full of ideas on hosting your own dinner party using recipes from the book or planning out your own trip to the Mediterranean. I really appreciated the interesting and informative head notes she's written for each recipe. I think I would have preferred more structure in terms of the recipes themselves -- while some recipes had a clear list of ingredients some did not. For the ones that did not (recipes such as the Caponata or the Eggplant Pizzettes) the home cook must carefully read through the instructions to discover the ingredients. In either case, the food was the same: absolutely delicious!
Speaking of delicious food, when I tried her recipe for Rosemary Socca I had this moment upon tasting it where I wondered, "Socca! Where have you been all my life??" It was my first time trying this iconic recipe and for those who haven't had the pleasure of tasting it, a socca is a savoury pancake made from chickpea flour. Baked in a hot oven on a cast iron skillet the socca is one of the most delicious foods. I can already see so many ways to experiment with its seasoning and what to serve it with. It also has the added benefit of being gluten free for those looking to find a stellar gluten-free recipe!
A recipe my 5-year-old daughter loved to make and eat from the book is the Mini Artichoke Lasagnas. Assembled in ramekins, my daughter was able to do it herself! Scooping the chopped marinated artichokes and sauce, layering the noodles, and topping it off with cheese was a deeply satisfying activity for her! And, since she was so invested in making this dish she ate heartily at the dinnertime. Maybe it's that universal truth that food tastes great when you make it yourself! My husband pointed out the fact that those "fancy little lasagnas" would be just the thing if we had company over, which just goes to illustrate my earlier point about the versatility of Gleeson's food. Some of the other recipes we really enjoyed were the Eggplant Pizzettes, the Spaghetti with Lentil "Meatballs," and the Fried Ricotta Gnocchi.
I really appreciate Gleeson's artistic talent and the unique visual style of her books -- by pairing beautiful illustrations with each recipe it's almost like she's reinvented the recipe as a new type of infographic. As with all her other books, The Forest Feast Mediterranean, is full of easy to make and delicious to eat vegetarian recipes that the whole family can enjoy together.
Please note that this is an excerpt of a review posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.wordpress.com.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Manda Books and Abrams Books for providing me with a free advanced of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 17, 2021
5 Stars for the absolutely beautiful layout of this cookbook, but just 3 stars for the actual recipes.
November 13, 2019
I think I was expecting something different with this cookbook, like maybe more full meals and not so many appetizers and small dishes. But the food looks and the photographs are stunning so I went through it a second time more slowly. My only wish is that the book wasn’t so busy with the drawings and photographs.
June 28, 2020
Such a beautiful book! Full of color & intriguing recipes that I can’t wait to try!
February 23, 2021
4.5 STARS
I must own all of her cookbooks, just for the fun and gorgeous layouts, and the simplicity of these recipes. (and I want to make all the things.) Huge fan of her kids one!
I must own all of her cookbooks, just for the fun and gorgeous layouts, and the simplicity of these recipes. (and I want to make all the things.) Huge fan of her kids one!
October 4, 2025
Picked up from charity. What a beautiful coffee table book of joy. A family holidays on med and eats veggy. Each page with its photography and sketches and food is a delight
August 8, 2022
Checked this out from the library, and enjoyed the art, photography, travel, and simple vegan recipes so much that I bought this plus the gathering one. I really love how simple the recipes are, and I'll be making notes in the margins of this book, which I rarely do but because I am not actually vegan the addition of chicken or whatever would be nice to jot down.
September 25, 2019
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a fan of the books of Erin Gleeson. Before I even opened her latest, The Forest Feast Mediterranean, I knew that I would love it. I wasn’t wrong; I think this is her best yet.
Opening one of her books, if you’ve yet to do so, is a beautiful experience. Her offerings differ from the average cookbook due to the informal, artistic, journal-type treatment. The reader feels as if they are taking a peek into her life by way of her diary.
The main font is fun and casual, the art is simple, but effective, the photos colorful and mouthwatering. All of this combines for a visual treat, and memorable cookbook experience.
Taking this Mediterranean trip with Gleeson and her family is like taking a trip of your own. You join them on this once-in-a-lifetime journey, feeling as though you are there. You get to taste the local cuisine, but more than that, get to make it yourself.
The Snacks and Small Plates chapters were my favorites. They reminded me of all of the wonderful treats that would accompany the cocktails that Jim and I would order at the outdoor drinking establishments when we were in Italy. I love snacks that don’t call for anything more than pantry staples, particularly those that go together in a hurry, and are well received. In which case, I loved the Sauces, Dressed-Up Olives, Garlic Deviled Egg Skewers, and Stuffed Cherry Peppers. I was also intrigued by the Gin and Tonic Bar.
The Small Plates that turned my head included Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Platter, Baked Provolone, Mushroom-Shallot Toast, Broccolini Stuffed Flatbread, and Spinach-Rice Pie. I anticipate having a wonderful time with this cookbook, and given the chance, you will too. Take the journey of culinary excellence. There is something here for everyone.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Abrams publishing as a part of #AbramsDinnerParty.
Opening one of her books, if you’ve yet to do so, is a beautiful experience. Her offerings differ from the average cookbook due to the informal, artistic, journal-type treatment. The reader feels as if they are taking a peek into her life by way of her diary.
The main font is fun and casual, the art is simple, but effective, the photos colorful and mouthwatering. All of this combines for a visual treat, and memorable cookbook experience.
Taking this Mediterranean trip with Gleeson and her family is like taking a trip of your own. You join them on this once-in-a-lifetime journey, feeling as though you are there. You get to taste the local cuisine, but more than that, get to make it yourself.
The Snacks and Small Plates chapters were my favorites. They reminded me of all of the wonderful treats that would accompany the cocktails that Jim and I would order at the outdoor drinking establishments when we were in Italy. I love snacks that don’t call for anything more than pantry staples, particularly those that go together in a hurry, and are well received. In which case, I loved the Sauces, Dressed-Up Olives, Garlic Deviled Egg Skewers, and Stuffed Cherry Peppers. I was also intrigued by the Gin and Tonic Bar.
The Small Plates that turned my head included Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Platter, Baked Provolone, Mushroom-Shallot Toast, Broccolini Stuffed Flatbread, and Spinach-Rice Pie. I anticipate having a wonderful time with this cookbook, and given the chance, you will too. Take the journey of culinary excellence. There is something here for everyone.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Abrams publishing as a part of #AbramsDinnerParty.
September 26, 2019
I keep looking through this cookbook because it is so very beautiful. I have never encountered a cookbook quite as enchanting; it is full of photos and charming illustrations for all of the recipes. In addition there are stunning travel photos from the countries that inspired the recipes in the book. Each turn of the page brings a new delight with a delicious looking recipe and a gorgeous photo to inspire you.
There are several recipes I can’t wait to try including this one for green beans. I have so many coming in right now it will be nice to try something new with them. All of the recipes in the book are vegetarian and they all look amazing. There is one for a gnocchi and cauliflower casserole that I can’t wait to try. I just need a full day in the kitchen to make homemade gnocchi again. Although there is an intriguing recipe in this book for ricotta gnocchi.
All of the recipes look to be full of flavor and easy to make. The book is built on “small plates” which is my favorite way of eating. A little of this, a little of that. It’s a marvelous way to have a dinner party. Put out a wide selection of different foods and just let everyone dig in. THIS is the book for that kind of party. Lots of options, lots of flavors.
This is going to end up one of my go/to cookbooks going forward.
There are several recipes I can’t wait to try including this one for green beans. I have so many coming in right now it will be nice to try something new with them. All of the recipes in the book are vegetarian and they all look amazing. There is one for a gnocchi and cauliflower casserole that I can’t wait to try. I just need a full day in the kitchen to make homemade gnocchi again. Although there is an intriguing recipe in this book for ricotta gnocchi.
All of the recipes look to be full of flavor and easy to make. The book is built on “small plates” which is my favorite way of eating. A little of this, a little of that. It’s a marvelous way to have a dinner party. Put out a wide selection of different foods and just let everyone dig in. THIS is the book for that kind of party. Lots of options, lots of flavors.
This is going to end up one of my go/to cookbooks going forward.
November 7, 2022
I love this book. The images, short recipes, and framing of the book as a story make it accessible for people who are intimidated by block of text and multi-step recipes. All of these recipes felt simple enough for me to make, but unique and flavorful. I was able to copy the recipes easily, each one taking no more than two lines in my notebook. I think I am most excited about the rosemary socca and the eggplant pizzette, although in totally I copied down 23 of the recipes in the book. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series!
November 22, 2024
This is my favorite book so far by Erin Gleeson. I love the original artwork she did for this book. I love the stories about her travels to several different countries she visited while doing research about this book. But mostly I love the easy, simple, delicious recipes she has included in this book. Some have become family favorites. Some I have yet to try. This was the first book I got by Erin and it made me fall in love with her style of cooking, her artwork, and her writing style.
November 30, 2020
GORGEOUS cookbook, with pages I cannot bring myself to bend or muss in my usual way. It was delightful to read her experienced traveling in Europe, the inspiration for these recipes. I'm trying 5 of her dishes this week; they all look completely delicious and quite healthy in Mediterranean style, from drinks to salads to tapas. Yum, and beautiful to boot.
June 4, 2021
The food photography in this book is gorgeous! The recipes are very simplistic and enticing. My only dislike about the book is not having a traditional recipe format, and listing the ingredients at the top. Perhaps that is one of the charms about this book? Aside from that, I absolutely love this magical book and can't wait to try my hand at several of the recipes.
July 6, 2024
I love a beautiful cookbook, and this one is gorgeous.
I adore the watercolor backgrounds and the drawn accents that go with the recipes. The photos are beautiful as well. I originally only had the ebook, but after reading I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy to keep in my kitchen. The recipes are simple healthy, and delicious - exactly what I was looking for.
I adore the watercolor backgrounds and the drawn accents that go with the recipes. The photos are beautiful as well. I originally only had the ebook, but after reading I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy to keep in my kitchen. The recipes are simple healthy, and delicious - exactly what I was looking for.
December 28, 2019
This is the most visually stunning cookbook I've ever seen and the reason I decided to buy it. Unfortunately, most of the recipes were a miss for me, filled with ingredients I don't like (olives!) or things I can't eat (anything with white flours). I LOVE how beautiful the book is, though.
January 13, 2020
Erin is back with a new sumptuous title; someone said it might be her best yet and I concur. This is a love letter to family and friends written as a Mediterranean Feast. Pull out the guest list people and with this book as your guide, let the gathering begin.
February 3, 2020
Absolutely gorgeous cookbook - so many beautiful photos and paintings and delicious recipes. I loved the premise of this book - reading the travel plans of the author with her family was so perfectly captured with pictures and words and recipes. Lovely!
February 10, 2022
It’s a beautiful book to look at and admire, one for your coffee table and I’d give that extra star for the aesthetic. The recipes however seem a bit too simple for my liking - still lovely. I might tweak some along the way but keen to try a few.
February 2, 2023
Love her creativity and photography as always. This one had simple recipes, more like appetizers or snacks, with few ingredients from her travels. I loved quite a few of them. I hope she keeps making cookbooks because I adore them.
July 10, 2024
I feel similarly about this as I did her other forest feast books- works of art !!
Soo fun to look through and it'll give you plenty of easy/low ingredient meal ideas!
(I didn't love the dessert options in this book as much as her others)
Soo fun to look through and it'll give you plenty of easy/low ingredient meal ideas!
(I didn't love the dessert options in this book as much as her others)
November 5, 2025
3 Stars
Super simple fresh recipes. The watercolors, while pretty were distracting from the beautiful photography. The food looks delicious and very accessible with easy tonfind ingredients.
Super simple fresh recipes. The watercolors, while pretty were distracting from the beautiful photography. The food looks delicious and very accessible with easy tonfind ingredients.
October 1, 2019
Beautiful! With really good ideas for vegetarian options, or to have on the side. We already made one of the salads - yummy!
December 7, 2019
Not quite as good as the first one, but still beautiful!
December 25, 2019
What a beautiful book!
January 5, 2020
A beautiful book.
January 8, 2020
Love all her books, simple, clean, delish recipes, loads of pics and cute art work.
January 18, 2020
Gorgeous photos and artwork, but uninspired recipes. Too much oil, cheese and eggs.
February 24, 2020
By far her best cookbook. Love the stories, and it actually seems like meals you could make, rather than just fancy snacks for a gathering.
July 19, 2020
Really enjoyed the stories of her travel mixed
in with recipes I feel I could tackle easily, one I already did that was phenomenal. Great read, which is unusual for a “cookbook”!
in with recipes I feel I could tackle easily, one I already did that was phenomenal. Great read, which is unusual for a “cookbook”!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews