The Vegetarian Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity with Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, and More, Based on the Wisdom of Leading American Chefs by Karen Page

The Vegetarian Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity with Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, and More, Based on the Wisdom of Leading American Chefs Reviews

• 
  Linda Kissam

  Don’t think cookbook, think flavor pairings. Actually, think thousands of flavor pairings which is really more practical than a cookbook. If you are a food geek or a closet gourmand who loves tinkering with ingredients and flavors, then The Vegetarian Flavor Bible and today’s two recipes are definitely for you. If you are a “give me a recipe to follow” kind of cook, this book is going to change your mind set on how flavorful gets to…well…flavorful.
  
  Karen Page’s hefty new book, The Vegetarian Flavor Bible is filled with more information than many of us could imagine was available. You’ll find out all about herbs, spices, nuts, greens, vegetables, fruits, grains as well as their flavor profiles including detailed descriptions, nutritional information, flavor affinities (love that phrase), botanical relatives, calories and suggested ways to use them to create dishes that will put a smile on your face. The book is full color with a color-coded system for identifying the healthiest ingredients: most nutritious bright green, then lighter green, yellow, orange and red according to nutrient density.
  
  Many of you will already know Karen Page. She is the two-time James Beard Award-winning author of The Flavor Bible. Since that book, Karen has taken a U-turn into the vegetarian lifestyle. This time, she turns her attention to plant-based cooking. Her four pound, 554-page work (with photos by Andrew Dornenburg) includes no recipes but instead a detailed history of veggie gastronomy, ideas for jump-starting inspired meals — and an explanation of her own passage to the "other side" of the table. If you’ve been wondering about vegetarian – anything- this would be the book for you.
  
  Her story might just sound something like your own story. She begins by confessing that, after two decades of writing about meat based dishes, “My life included an endless pursuit of deliciousness, and I was always thrilled to discover what I’d learn from the next bite. But as more and more headlines trumpeted the relationship between nutrition and wellness, it dawned on me that for someone who ate for a living, I’d thought surprisingly little about what to put in my body.” Meat based dishes were her passion. But a reality check into family health issues took her on a different path.
  
  Did you know that Americans believe it is easier to compute their income taxes than to figure out what it means to eat healthy? This book leaves no green bean left unturned in its very detailed examination of how the food we consume affects not only our own well-being, but the health of the planet. Ms. Page introduces the concept of maximizing flavor while creating “compassionate cuisine.” You’re going to be getting tips and advice that might just make you say, “Really? Hmmm.” Karen shares this comment by Thomas Edison, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause of prevention of disease.” Sounds like a winning plan to me. Just sayin'.
  
  Because this book is more practical advice than encyclopedia, the result is an educated and inspired cook in the kitchen. The reader is given all the information s/he needs to put that logical process into mindful cooking activities. I think you’ll enjoy the sample menus, views from many chefs and of course the thousands of “flavor matchmaking” combos. On page 346 the author suggests enoki mushrooms + garlic + Parmesan cheese. On page 472, bell peppers + black beans + brown rice + butternut squash + cilantro + scallions. Again, no recipes, just flavor combos.
  
  Interviews with such notable vegetarian owners and chefs from Dirt Candy, Green Zebra, Candle 79, Crossroads Greens, Millennium, Plum Bistro, and Vedge as well as “regular” fine-dining restaurants serving some of America’s best vegetarian tasting dishes (French Laundry, the Inn at Little Washington, Blue Hill, Eleven Madison Park and Topolobampo) brings an authenticity to the book. You’ll enjoy getting an insider’s peek with great chefs as they speak to flavor pairings and ingredient usage.
  
  Perhaps one of the most unexpected sections of the book is on page 76 where you will find an ultra-cool, but practical list of what to substitute if you are craving things like bacon, anchovies, burgers, caramel corn or chocolate. As Amanda Cohn of Dirt Candy puts it, “People don’t really crave bacon- they crave something smoky and crispy.” Karen suggests smoked paprika, toasted sesame oil or crisply fried provolone cheese as a healthy substitute to bacon.
  
  I was inspired by this book and meeting the author at a book signing/tasting. It’s a great way to eat, even if you are just at the occasional vegetarian stage. Make this helpful plant-based diet a guide and resource to sustainable health…and not just for you but for the animals and for the planet as well. What could possibly be wrong with an extraordinarily flavorful, healthy, mindful and satisfying way to eat?
  
  Using the guidelines from the book, Chef Tom Fraker of Melissa's World Variety Produce (Los Angeles, CA) created two yummy recipes. Enjoy this compassionate cuisine in good taste. Click the link to see the recipes.
  
  http://www.examiner.com/review/compas...
• 
  Denise

  The natural sequel to the first flavor bible. I'm not sure if I'll buy this one as I own the first already, but it seems much more detailed in regards to plant-food pairings, and is thicker than the original as well.
• 
  Steve Brannan

  Where's the INDEX?!?
  
  This is an EXCELLENT book for understanding the WHY of a plant-based diet and HOW flavors work together but it LACKS an index and/or table of contents for quickly finding information I desire, especially which plant flavors pair with which!
• 
  Lynda

  Excellent book that discusses in depth pairings, preparation, definitions of all sorts of veggies, fruits, grains, etc. A wonderful resource book.
• 
  Amuse

  Not a traditional cookbook but a list of things that go with other things for those that can't figure it out on their own. I didn't like this approach. It did not motivate me to cook anything special or differently. This might be attractive for those that like lists and structure and need that kind of thing to be creative.
• 
  Cindy Deister

  LOVE LOVE LOVE this book - a compilation of chef's tried-and-true flavor combinations. Perfect for the kitchen cook who enjoys tweaking recipes or cooking simply with the best ingredients. NOT truly a cookbook, fyi.
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  Kate Merriman

  Amazing resource, so user-friendly and gets me out of my old stuck thinking about what to cook, always gives me a good idea for creating a great yummy flavor combo using what I might have on hand. Lots of zucchini and no clue what to do with it? Just head over to the Z section and get plenty inspired.
• 
  Ruth

  This is a strange kind of reference book. The author has collected opinions about ingredients from chefs and cookbook authors whose food she likes. These include Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy, Gael Greene the restaurant critic, and Deborah Madison of Greens restaurant. Each ingredient gets a nutritional rating, a short definition of what it is and how it's used, and an opinion of how strongly it tastes in a dish (what Page calls "volume.") Then there's a list of ingredients that the experts thought go with the ingredient in the entry, and something called "flavor affinities"--combinations that these chefs liked together. What's odd about the book is that it reflects current food fads, so there's a four-page entry on beets. (What the heck. I think this is the second book I've gotten from the library I've read with disbelief over people's utter passion for beets.) Ramps, which very few people can acquire, get a lot of play because restaurants do get them and cook with them. Eggplant is still big with vegetarian chefs, but for some reason it's now trendy in desserts. If I had shelf space or was more serious about inventing my own recipes, I might buy this. As it is, I'm happy I flipped through it over a couple of Saturday afternoons. The photos are super pretty and it was fun. Some of the quotes from the restaurant chefs were hilarious.
• 
  Rachyl

  I love this reference book and use it all the time when trying to decide what to pair with specific dishes for dinner or when trying to create my own recipes. I like the history of vegetarianism that is included in the front of the book as well, but mostly I just find it endlessly useful as an ingredient reference. It lists not only pairings but details about the seasonality, cooking techniques, tips, and details about the flavour of individual ingredients. One thing I wish was included was a section listing popular ingredients used based on cuisine type (Japanese/Chinese/Vietnamese,etc) because that would even further help me craft my recipes.
• 
  Jana Eichhorn

  I didn't intend to read this entire book. I'd planned on reading the first 1/3 of it and then dipping in and out of the lists that make up the rest of the book the way I think the authors intended. It didn't happen that way though.
  
  I'm not a vegetarian, but I love flavor and I love cooking, and this book is like whole new worlds laid at the feet of anyone who likes either. I got this from the library, but will be buying my own copy soon, because I want access to it from now on. It's like a kitchen idea bomb. Highly, highly recommended.
• 
  Elizabeth

  If you like to read giant lists of ingredients, some in bold, some in italics, some in bold uppercase, this book is for you. Many of the flavour combinations recommended are no-brainers. Some of the combinations are intriguing. However, there are no recipes included. Instead, there are only a few names of dishes presented at various restaurants as guides to using the combinations.
  
  
• 
  Kristyn Granahan

  Whether you are new to cooking or have advanced skills, this is a great book to keep on the shelves. This is not a cookbook, but instead a flavor guide for food pairings. If you're new to cooking, this is a great tool to help you expand your horizons and knowledge on foods that complement each other. If you're experienced, this tool can help stimulate creativity for new dishes. It can also help diversify your palette and nutrients, especially if you're used to eating the same things all the time. I highly recommend for any kitchen! I personally like this one more than the original, as it is expanded and has much more options.
• 
  Tyler

  This is not a regular cookbook, it is mostly a reference book. It contains an alphabetical list of almost every vegetarian food you can imagine and for each ones lists the types of recipes it would go well in, what sorts of other foods and spices complement that food, etc. It is handy when you are trying to cook experimentally and ask yourself questions like "what would go well with this?"
  
  I use this book every once in awhile and it has been somewhat helpful, but I wouldn't bother owning it unless you are a chef or really cook a lot and come up with your own recipes.
• 
  kayla

  my absolute favorite kitchen tool. highly recommend to all, but especially creatives in the kitchen. if you, like myself, seek to creative flavor profiles as opposed to recipe based cooking, this is the cookbook for you. i use it daily to learn more about flavor combinations but also to form up what i already know about ingredients that pair well.
  
  if you’ve never bought a cookbook make this your first. this is one of my favorite companions and definitely one of my most prized possessions.
• 
  Toomas

  Really really amazing book for all the people, specially for chefs to make some changes in their kitchen or start thinking about the good recipes. Lots of spices and descriptions and options for a chef to take part of! :)
• 
  Monique Guilland

  Useful for cooks who like to improvise if you own it yourself and can use it as a reference when you are cooking. Not as useful as a checkout from the library. It made me hope that maybe veggies could be delicious. The book claims that most of the flavor in cooking comes from plants.
• 
  Katie O'Bryan

  I love this book, but the Kindle Edition is less convenient than paper.
• 
  el Jime

  Super helpful guide to creatively pair foods. I wish there were more portions / recipes for the recommendations. Not just listing of ingredients.
  
• 
  Laurie

  Really more of a reference book, but the beginning is so full of great info and history. Love this book! It will be on hand for reference for a long time.
• 
  Tore Alseth Haaland

  The greatest non-cooking cookbook on the market!
• 
  Kitty Gia Ngan

  A helpful reference cookbook that I keep going back to.
  Recommend it for cooks who don't follow recipes, who want to play with flavors combining and test the accuracy of one's own imaginations.
  
  Cooking doesn't have to be an inferior science, and eating can be an immersive experience that nourishes all senses.