Vegan Food for the Rest of Us

June 5, 2017
In her newest cookbook, Hodgman (Beat This! Cookbook) convinces naysayers and skeptics that veganism doesn’t have to be pretentious. Without being overbearing, Hodgman touches on why adopting a vegan lifestyle is better for the environment, reminding readers, for example, that “dairy products keep the veal industry in business.” Her soups and salads, such as her green bean salad, are simple and refreshing, but her mains are standouts. Hodgman believes that “vegan main dishes are without a doubt the most challenging form of vegan cooking,” and here she suggests some solid entrées, such as curried tofu wraps; a leek, white bean, and mushroom tart; and pan-fried dumplings. Her desserts, meanwhile, include veganized classics such as chocolate mousse and lemon squares as well as some creative additions such as orange olive-oil cupcakes and swiss meringue buttercream). The section on appetizers, however, lacks variety and curation. She also makes a few unpopular decisions that many vegans might question, such as incorporating honey, an ingredient widely excluded from plant-based cooking. Hodgman is known for her humor, but at times she bewilders, leaving readers to wonder if they missed the joke (“We’re allowed to make food taste good,” she writes about a recipe for bubble and squeak, “even nursery food”). But overall, there is something to be learned from Hodgman, as well as good food to be made. Agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House.

April 15, 2017

Hodgman (Beat This, Beat That) tackles with humor the challenge of making food without animal products. The text is filled with a chatty sass that is the author's trademark. Because she creates the best version of classic recipes, there are no hacks here, although preparing homemade vegan butter, yogurt, and "flax cubes" (a substitute for eggs) may be too involved for some cooks. As commercial substitutes are not always an alternative, the author insists that these from-scratch ingredients add richness, flavor, and texture. Many recipes use flour, soy, and the ubiquitous nuts with no suggested substitutes. Also suggested to enhance taste is MSG, a controversial additive. Desserts have as much territory in this book as main dishes, and the pages are filled with favorites--shortbread, brownies, fudges, and caramels. Unlike other vegan cookbooks that start with the rationales for going vegan, Hodgman's explanations are saved, like a punch line, for the end and are summed up with "right vs. wrong period." (The recipes do not have sodium, fat, or calorie information.) VERDICT Going vegan may seem extreme to some readers, but the recipes here prove that this food is in no way fake.--Jeanette McVeigh, Univ. of the Sciences, Philadelphia

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.