Not a recipe book - but truly conveys "Joy of Cooking"

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	• Tassajara Cooking Edward Espe Brown Shambhala, 1986 average customer review:based on 6 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great "What to do with..." food book

Of course ED Brown did it again...I love all his recipes and his innovations that are based in simplicty spelled out to the basic cook.

Not a recipe book - but truly conveys "Joy of Cooking"

Maybe you are learning to cook by following recipes in good cook books, and (one hopes) varying from the recipes based on the ingredients at hand. This is a wonderful companion for the student chef - and very much worth a little time tracking a copy down second-hand. (The book is, sadly, out of print.)

The book is so friendly and accessible, with early editions including amateurish drawings and hand-printed messages, with such a playful (while certainly informative) tone, there is no intimidation. At the front of the book is a good orientation on knife care and safe chopping, as well as different styles of chopping (the "julienne" versus the "round cut," for example). The book is then organized into food groups, with chapters on basic ingredients essential for healthy (and tasty) vegetarian cooking. The facts about each vegetable, legume, or grain, and some very basic recipes to show how it might be prepared - with a strong encouragement to improvise!

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How to Cook

This book is a how-to-cook, not what-to-cook book. Instead of individual recipes, the emphasis is on how to take ingredients and create tasty and appealing meals from them without much fuss. The book begins with a short chapter on knives and how to use them. It then moves on to various cooking methods, such as sautéing, and braising, before briefly listing common vegetables and their seasons. The main part of the book is organized into 3 sections: vegetables (ordered by season), other ingredients (fruits, nuts, grains, dairy, etc.) and combined foods (condiments, soups, sauces, and casseroles). The book closes with a brief section on caring for kitchen equipment.

Rather than specifying exact amounts, Brown describes the general idea for creating a recipe for each vegetable. He suggests several ingredients that might go well together with the vegetable at hand, and a cooking method, but it is left up to the reader to decide what ratios and amounts to use. One advantage of this approach is that the recipes can easily be scaled to feed one person or one hundred. Instead of specific cooking instructions, Brown draws the cook's attention to factors that may affect the taste or aesthetic qualities of the dish, and leaves it up to the cook to make the final decisions. The lack of specific amounts in many of the recipes might be disconcerting to some, especially those who are just starting out in the kitchen. Others will find Brown's approach liberating, and they may finally learn to cook, instead of just following recipes.

Although the recipes are entirely vegetarian, the book could be useful for anyone who regularly cooks vegetables. Some of the recipes call for dairy or eggs, but in many cases, Brown also suggests options that would be suitable for vegans. In addition to covering common Western vegetables, Brown includes suggestions for cooking some sea vegetables and other common Japanese ingredients like miso.

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Made my other cookbooks obselete...

I picked this up at a used bookstore, with not very high hopes for it, and was I suprised. I feel like my "recipe books" are holding me back. Tassajara cooking teaches you to cook in a spontaneous and practical (using whatever you have in the fridge) manner. The Zen Buddhist perspective is refreshing. It is a fun book and you never have to worry about having the ingredients because the recipes are more vague guidelines for going insane in the kitchen. I used to get frustrated by things not turning out, now I know that everything turns out in its own way. This also has a section on cutting and knife-sharpening. Definately track this out-of-print book down!

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Takes the 'scary' out of cooking

It's a good thing this book is back in print because mine is totally trashed! Tassajara Cooking is not for the intuitive cook who can fly around the kitchen throwing things together to make a meal. If you're not a confident intuitive cook, however, it will help turn you into one. I've got the First Edition and have referred to it over twenty years. I've never seen another cookbook like it. It takes the stress out of having to strictly follow a recipe and buy every single ingredient by teaching the fundamentals of creating something tasty and nutritious with what you have on hand. Its gentle presentation and hand-drawn pictures make it "comfort food" in book form, turning an intimidating kitchen into a fun and creative place. Think of the exhausting list of ingredients in the average soup recipe. The soup section makes the best soups I've ever had, with very few common ingredients. You just don't need all that other stuff to make great-tasting healthful food! I like Tassajara Cooking more than Tassajara Recipes, but I recommend both. And I HIGHLY recommend the Tassajara Bread Book.

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reviews: page 1, 2

When it was first issued, Tassajara Cooking became an overnight classic. Ed Brown's recipes for cooking?for learning to appreciate all the steps involved in making a meal, from selecting the ingredients to serving the finished dish?struck a chord with people who care about food and nutrition. This groundbreaking book, in a completely redesigned format, is just as timely and relevant today, more than thirty years later. Brown discusses methods for working with vegetables, grains, beans, dairy products, and fruits; cooking techniques; and suggestions for planning good tasting, nutritious meals, from soups and salads to desserts. Generously seasoned with illustrations that detail every part of the cooking process, Tassajara Cooking is a comprehensive guide to inspired cooking, with joy.

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