Veganomicon

Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press (2007)
Reviewed by Evan McGraw
Reprinted with Permission from Earthsave Canada

Definitive. If there is one word to describe Veganomicon, the brand new cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, definitive is definitely it. Never before has a vegan cookbook even attempted to reach Veganomicon’s level of creativity, versatility, flexibility and just plain delicious-ness (though there’s nothing plain about it!). But before getting into the incredible and comprehensive recipes, Veganomicon offers a goldmine of valuable information to the reader with its all encompassing “how to” of practically everything. They tell you how to cook every vegetable, grain and bean under the sun in a variety of basic and easy ways, information that would surely be valued by an omnivore as much as a long time vegan. Pretty invaluable information, whether you’re just learning how to cook, trying to add more vegetables into your diet, or just wondering what the heck to do with those parsnips kicking around in the fridge.

There are also chapters on low(er)-fat cooking, kitchen terminology and how to stock your pantry. You’ll be dumbfounded that there are still recipes awaiting you, considering you’ve just taken in more from the preface than most cookbooks give overall. Veganomicon is the gift that just keeps on giving. With hundreds of recipes, you’ll have no idea where to begin, but perhaps the icons accompanying each recipe denoting them soy-free, gluten-free, low fat, under 45 minutes, or supermarket friendly will help.

Spanning a whopping 17 chapters including casseroles, mix and match, brunch, salads, appetizers, and, of course, dessert, every single recipe is introduced with witty, chatty notes or stories from the authors, showing just how much time, testing, and thought went into these recipes. Inspiration flows from every corner of the world to create such tempting recipes as the bursting with flavour Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping or the toothsome Seitan Piccatta with Olives and Green Beans that would give any chicken dish a run for its money. The Chickpea Cutlets are so absolutely innovative, amazing, easy, savoury, crispy, and perfectly chewy that you won’t know what hit you. Round them out with the simple Sautéed Collards and Mashed Spiced Sweet Potatoes for a phenomenally hearty meal. Other standouts include Caesar Salad with Roasted Garlic Croutons, which is so creamy, authentic, and flavourful you might actually cry. Big enough for a meal and with such bold accents from the roasted garlic, you’ll never look at salad the same way again.

And, of course, there is always room for dessert. Whether you’d like to start in the Cookies and Bars section with the decadent, chewy and dense Chocolate- Chocolate-Chip-Walnut Cookies or the virtuous and unexpected Lemon Bars or head straight to Desserts is up to you. If there’s one dessert I could eat and only eat for the rest of my life, it would be Smlove Pie. Words can’t describe, but I guess I’ll try anyway. Not just chocolate mousse, but a thick, rich, baked mousse layer on top of a graham cracker crust, smothered in the most luscious peanut butter caramel sauce, adorned with salty sweet, crunchy maple candied pecans, all topped off with a dark chocolate drizzle. Now imagine a bite of this stratum of flavours. True, pure, bliss. No arguments here. Veganomicon has changed the way I cook, look at recipes, and even think about food and is sure to do the same for the many more to pick up this definitive manual to cooking. What are you waiting for?