Book Review

Voluptuous Vegan
by Myra Kornfeld and George Minot
Review by Doh Driver

This is a gourmet vegan cookbook with a capital G. The recipes are lush and the author has a keen knowledge of unusual, interesting ingredients. Arranged into entire meals, dishes such as Mediterranean Braised Fennel are matched with Mushroom, French Lentil, and Chestnut Ragu, as well as Broccoli Rabe Polenta and an Arugula Salad topped with Beet, Daikon, and Carrot. If that menu doesn't tickle your fancy, you might prefer the Seitan Bourguignonne with a side of Mashed Potatoes with Parsnips, and Mesclun with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

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These meals are for the vegan who truly enjoys cooking and entertaining, especially for non-vegans, and isn't put off by a long shopping list of hard-to-find items. I prepared one entire menu for a vegetarian friend, and he proclaimed it so good it could convince anyone to go vegan (although a meat-eating friend was less enthusiastic when served the leftovers). We savored Chickpea Crepes with Grilled Spring Vegetables, Tofu "Cheese," and Spinach-Basil Sauce, paired with Potato Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette. The flavors were delicate yet bright, and nicely balanced, even allowing for a few ingredient substitutions I made.

The menus begin with helpful "cook's notes" which describe the recommended order of preparation, noting which recipes can be prepared in advance. The author also includes serving and presentation tips here. Many of the unusual foods are discussed in sidebars, from buying to cutting and cooking. The book focusses on the evening meal; recipes are limited to soups, full main-course menus, and desserts. Meal preparation times are never indicated, which might tell you something. Including the trip to the store, the breaks for toddler needs, my slow skills in the kitchen, and a struggle with the wine bottle cork, the Chickpea Crepe meal took 8 hours to prepare! Most of these are labor-intensive recipes, and finding the ingredients can lean toward impossible. Fiddlehead ferns, anyone? Do you have ramps in your local market? I couldn't find fresh tarragon after checking three stores. Not every recipe runs into the obscure, but few can be made with what you have in your pantry. The index is terrific, as it lists nearly every significant ingredient and the recipes which incorporate it, so if you have languishing leeks or wilting winter squash, you can look in the index and put them to good use.

This is not a practical cookbook for the everyday meal or for picky eaters. The younger members in the family will not appreciate the effort, or even leave the cook alone long enough. However, I intend to try more recipes from this gorgeous collection. I doubt I'll put together entire menus, but some of the recipes are calling me, and the desserts look scrumptious. I'll willingly spend a day on a promising indulgence!

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Doh Driver is the full-time single parent of Griffin, her 3-year-old healthy, breastfeeding, joyous little vegan. She is also a part-time yoga instructor in Florida, and became completely vegan as of New Year's Day, after 12 years of saying, as a vegetarian, she could never be vegan. By making peaceful and compassionate choices in her life, she hopes to provide her son with a model of mindful, gentle living.

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