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| Vegetables Every Day: The Definitive Guide to Buying and Cooking Today's Produce With over 350 Recipes | 
enlarge | Author: Jack Bishop Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks Category: Book
List Price: $30.00 Buy New: $15.65 You Save: $14.35 (48%)
Buy New/Used from $14.82
Avg. Customer Rating:   (31 reviews) Sales Rank: 29834
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published) Media: Hardcover Edition: 1 Number Of Items: 1 Pages: 416 Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1 Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.5
ISBN: 0060192216 Dewey Decimal Number: 641.65 EAN: 9780060192211 ASIN: 0060192216
Publication Date: April 1, 2001 Release Date: April 3, 2001 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
  Vegetables on the side October 15, 2006 12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I ordered this book because I want to make vegetables a central part of my meals. However, almost all of the recipes in this book are for vegetables as a side dish.
If you want an "encyclopedia" of vegetables, with information on how to choose them, basic preparation and cooking, and which spices/herbs go best, then Vegetables Every Day is an excellent choice. But if you want a book full of recipes with vegetables as a main dish, then look elsewhere.
  Great reference, well written August 2, 2006 6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is a great book for folks who are looking for some good, dependable recipes for keeping vegetables on the table. There's a helpful profile of each vegetable, including seasonality and things to avoid when selecting at the store, and general preparation instructions as well as specific recipes. As a frequent and enthusiastic cook, I was excited to try some of the less familiar items (armed with a trustworthy recipe). Written by Jack Bishop, who is featured on America's Test Kitchen, and knows his stuff. Good reference for on-the-fly cooking, great reading before a trip to the farmer's market.
  my most-used cookbook June 27, 2006 13 out of 13 found this review helpful
I don't know that I have much to add to the previous 23 reviews, but I cannot say enough positive things about "Vegetables Every Day." I own 30-40 cookbooks and after five years of ownership this one remains by far the one I use most often -- multiple times every week.
This cookbook is simply without peer for its incredible breadth of vegetable side-dish recipes; its ease of preparation, with minimal exotic, hard-to-find and hard-to-afford ingredients; and its healthful preparations that really highlight (rather than masking) the vegetables involved. Bishop is no fat-phobe, even calling occasionally for a tablespoon or two of butter, but these certainly aren't recipes where health takes a back seat to taste.
Most importantly, though, this book succeeds by making EVERY vegetable lovable. I can't tell you how many vegetables I used to *think* I hated, before I tried them as prepared by Bishop. Beets, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower, kale -- he makes all not only palatable but wholly enjoyable. I can't recall ever having had a misfire with any recipe in this book, and by now I've probably made about two-thirds of them.
I work in PR and have joked to friends (while proselytizing on behalf of Jack Bishop) that someday when I leave my current job I will go do PR on behalf of "Vegetables Every Day." If you are a home cook who uses cookbooks, do yourself a favor and add this one to your collection.
  A Proven Winner June 14, 2006 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I cook a lot and buy a lot of cookbooks, and this is definitely one I keep at the front of the shelf. I've never had one of the recipes fail and it's been a fantastic resource for getting everyone in the family to get out of the broccoli/grean beans rut. It's fun to go to the farmer's market knowing anything I buy I'll be able to find a way to cook!
  A big fan of Americas Test Kitchen and Cooks Illustrated January 7, 2006 23 out of 23 found this review helpful
First, I would like to note that I am an experienced cook with an advanced knowledge of vegetables so please keep that in mind while reading my review. Someone with less experience in the kitchen will definitely get even more out of this book than I did.
Good news: Jack Bishop brings with him the credibility of being a part of the Cook's Illustrated staff. To those unfamiliar with their work this means that the recipes are diligently tested over and over to achieve optimum cooking technique and flavoring. Furthermore, I was impressed with the variety of vegetables this book contained. The expected veggies are include in addition to the more unusual such as malanga, boniato, sorrel, salsify, etc... which altogether add up to over 60 different vegetables. Each vegetables 'chapter' begins with a description of the veggies origin, flavor, availability and how to select, store, prepare and cook it. This is followed by several recipes. Some of my favorites include: "Roasted Asparagus with Peanut Sauce, Stir-Fried Asparagus with Basil and Spicy Orange Sauce, Broccoli with Spicy Balsamic Dressing and Black Olives, Braised Brussel Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce, Sauteed Chayote with Fresh Corn, Chile and Oregano, Soy Braised Collards with Five-Spice Powder, Corn and Mushroom Saute, Cucumber-Watermelon Salsa, Grilled Eggplant Salad with Thai Flavors, Green Beans and Corn with Tomato-Herb Vinaigrette, Jicama and Carrot Salad with Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette, Shredded Kohlrabi with Butter and Parmesan, Mexican Mushroom Soup with Chiles, Tomatoes and Cilantro, Grilled Plantains with Citrus Glaze, Roasted Radishes with Soy and Sesame Seeds, Taro Soup and Butternut Squash Soup with Cider and Cardamom". As you can see there is much to love!
And now for the bad news: I had three problems with this book that prevented me from rating it five stars. But first I want to be clear that I am not saying any recipe is bad. It is just that...
1. I found some of the recipes way to basic, therefore wasted space. On the other hand, for those new to cooking (or unfamiliar with the "Best Recipe Series" these will be great staples and very valuable. Examples would be: "Baked Potatoes, Roasted Red Peppers, Grilled Artichokes, Steamed Artichokes, Grilled Zucchini, etc... However, I was really looking for recipes that went beyond the ordinary and presented veggies in new and exciting ways. There were also several well known recipes included, even though they are well done, they are common. Examples would be: "Potato Salad, Ratatouille, Basic Guacamole, Carrot Salad, Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, etc... again great in composition but not useful to an established cook (see my introductory note).
2. I found some of the recipe ideas to be a little repetitive. For instance there are several recipes for vegetables with a "Mustard Cream Sauce" that only vary slightly. Also the recipe for "Curried Carrot Soup" and "Curried Parsnip Soup" to be very similar.
3. Lastly my biggest disappointment was the photography, or rather the lack thereof. Other than a few small single-hued sketches the book is devoid of any pictures. This is by no means a reflection of Jack Bishops culinary abilities, rather an err in design. As you may know we eat with our eyes first and boy am I hungry. Or maybe I am just being too demanding??? :)
All told this is an EXCELLENT book. And despite my particular disappointments there is NOT a bad recipe to be found in this delicious ode to the flavorful world of vegetables.
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