I have to stop Ten Speed Press, $29 beginning reviews in WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR this way, but I cannot the global eater speak highly enough of Heidi Swanson and THE BEST PART her sensational blog six unique cultures, one book 101 Cookbooks. And FIVE FAVE RECIPES now, this cookbook. pozole verde Heidi is the absolute nori granola queen of simple, rustic, vaghareli makai (spiced Indian globally-inspired food, corn) using bright, fresh salt-baked sweet potato ingredients culled spicy green soup from whatever is in season. She also possesses an uncanny ability to post a recipe on her blog for precisely what you’re craving in that very moment, with exactly the ingredients you already have in your pantry. This happens to me at least once a week, and every time it feels (and tastes) like a miracle. Simply put, this cookbook is an exploration of the meals, flavors and cuisines that have inspired and resonated with Heidi both near (her home in San Francisco) and afar: specifically, trips to Morocco, France, India, Italy, and Japan. It is Near which opens the book, and as you page through it, you actually see the produce from the farmer’s market come to life and spring into action — such as tiny tomatillos pureed into a green posole, saltbaked sweet potatoes topped with segments of grapefruit, a spicy green soup containing mostly fresh herbs, spun into a paste with almonds, and brought to life with toppings of lemon, roasted mushroom and shaved green olives. As you move into Far, the recipes remain as wonderfully fresh, but the ingredient list changes entirely, as each country is introduced with a list of pantry items comprising the flavor profile of that culture. Heidi’s gift is being able to keep each culture’s well-loved staples blindingly fresh, and so simple. There is no over-exerted preparation or precious techniques. This is food cooked with insatiable love, and it results in the kind of dishes that change your life never in a crowded restaurant, but always within the intimate, generous confines of an old soul’s well-worn kitchen. I have been looking forward to this book all year. It does not disappoint.
CHICKPEA MAGAZINE FALL 2015
Ten Speed Press, $35 WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR those looking to be inspired and to adopt a more conscious culinary lifestyle without compromising decadence FIVE FAVE RECIPES seeded pistachio and squash galette kale and black sesame sushi bowl avocado and lemon zest spaghetti deep-dish leek and greens pie mac and greens When it comes to sustainable, conscious, utterly scrumptious, vegetable-focused eating, Anna Jones has nailed it. And so has A Modern Way To Eat, a brilliant gathering of effervescent recipes that aspire to bring new ideas and fresh inspiration to a lifestyle that’s quickly gaining speed. I love fresh food, and am always down for a salad and a green juice. But I grew up in the Midwest — starch, carbohydrates, and decadent meals live deep in my bones. And I’m not the only vegan with those cravings. What Anna understands is that for this lifestyle to truly take the world by storm, it’s important that burgers, pancakes, pasta, sweets, and fritters are part of the equation. And that they can also be steeped in super foods, and dolloped with loads of added nutrition. In this book, Anna has merged a really wonderful level of inventiveness with a super straightforward approach. Her recipes are utterly brilliant, but she also inspires you take matters into your own hands at home, scattering lovely charts and choose-your-own-adventure-type layouts primed to inspire you to mix and match ingredients for easy sandwiches, bowls, hummus, pesto, spice-licked roasted veg, “killer roast dinner,” soups, and great salad fit to your tastes and/or what may be in season in your area. From these guidelines alone, you could go months making different, vibrant meals every day without ever actually cooking a formal recipe from the book. Every time I pick this book up, I feel so overwhelmingly inspired, which is exactly how cooking, and maintaining a vegan or veg-forward lifestyle is supposed to make you feel. Happy, healthy, energized, motivated, and connected to the world and resources around us.
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