Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Blogger/former fromagier Turner tackles vegan myths from the get-go with a table of contents featuring chapters such as "Tofu Doesn't Taste Like Anything"; "Vegan Cooking Is Too Hard"; "It's All Rabbit Food" and "You Can't Bake Without Butter or Eggs!" Comprised of 125 plant-based recipes, home cooks are given invaluable how-to's to get started with vegan cooking including how to make cashew cream, how to cook lentils and split peas, and how to press tofu. Recipes are broken down by numbered steps and include variations. Innovative veggie-for-meat-and-fish substitutions are made in dishes including Portobello Carpaccio, Jackfruit "Tuna" Salad Sandwich, Eggplant Meatball Subs with Spicy Marinara Sauce, and Beer-Battered Faux Fish and Chips. Indulgent desserts get their well-deserved space with a Flourless Chocolate Decadence Cake, Butterscotch Bread Pudding, and Molasses-Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse Tart with Coconut Whipped Cream. Full-color photography by Chris Miller adds to the title, making gift-worthy. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Library Journal Review
Blogger Turner (keepitkind.com) found lots of reasons to avoid a vegan diet. After all, how could a former fromagier ever consider giving up cheese? A growing awareness of farm animal welfare issues helped the author to eventually take the plunge, and she has no regrets. Turner organizes this work around all the reasons why folks say they "could never go vegan," refuting each with a handful of inventive recipes. For example, the "I could never give up cheese" excuse is combatted with such recipes as tofu chevre, citrus-roasted beets with macadamia ricotta, and balsamic baked pears stuffed with cashew blue cheese-all pretty tasty-sounding arguments. A mouthwatering photo accompanies almost every dish. The cooking techniques involved are not difficult, but many of the recipes have a lot of steps and require advance planning and a well-stocked pantry. Inexperienced cooks may find these recipes tempting yet daunting, and new vegans may want a book with more nutritional advice. Those caveats aside, Turner's book is both beautiful and inspiring. VERDICT Vegan foodies and foodies considering becoming vegan will be eager to break out their farro, sriracha, and liquid smoke, and have fun in the kitchen.-Jude Baldwin, Coll. of the Siskiyous, Weed, CA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
