Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

August 22, 2005
For many baby boomers, Moosewood Restaurant is synonymous with vegetarian cooking, thanks to Mollie Katzen's 1977 classic cookbook, which brought the joys of hummus, tofu and other veggie staples to home kitchens. The Ithaca, N.Y., establishment now publishes books in the name of the collective; this is the 11th. By emphasizing ease of preparation and reliance on as few ingredients as possible, the authors must stretch to find new twists on the vegetarian repertoire they've covered previously. They include new dishes such as Indonesian Sweet Potato and Cabbage Soup, and Cranberry Bulghur Pilaf—but it's ultimately familiar fare like Warm French Lentil Salad that is most appealing. The book's only real surprise is a section devoted to fish, the sole animal protein included. Working parents and students will welcome the consistent use of canned and frozen ingredients, but the quick and easy approach combined with the preponderance of dishes like Corn on the Cob, Greek Salad, Coconut Rice, and Easy Egg Rolls result in a book that might've been better in an inexpensive paperback format than a glossy hardcover. Those seeking a cheap, simple vegetarian supper are better off pulling that old, dog-eared paperback off the shelf. Photos.

October 15, 2005
The Moosewood Collective adds to its growing list of indispensable titles with this compendium of delicious, healthful recipes that aim for simplicity and speed. As in many Moosewood titles, the recipes are mostly vegetarian, with the addition of a seafood section. Included are sections focusing on pasta, eggs, grains, beans, soups, salads, and desserts as well as an unusually large section of homemade sauces and dressings to enliven basic staples and encourage experimentation. Each chapter begins with helpful tips about even the most basic foods (there's a double-page spread just about corn on the cob, for example), and there's also shopping advice, as in the pasta chapter's explanation of "why made in Italy matters." Every recipe is followed by ideas for variations and menu planning. Moosewood devotees will recognize the familiar blend of cultural influences represented here--Asian, Middle Eastern, French, African, Cajun, and more--and an appendix offers detailed explanations of the elements in "a well-stocked pantry." Timely, reliable, and inventive, this is sure to inspire harried diners to reach for the cupboard doors rather than the takeout menus.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)