I was introduced to this gem of a cookbook many years ago at a friend’s house. I love flipping through people’s cookbook collections, there is always at least a recipe or two that is just crying out to be discovered, and I came across a simple looking book. The cover was a bit tattered from wear and tear over the years, which is always the first book to look for; clearly, there was a reason my friend used this book so much.
It was called “Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day,” and I’ve had it ever since (I had to buy my own, of course. My friend refused to part with his copy).
First of all, and most importantly, the recipes are absolutely delicious. They are all rooted in simplicity: basic ingredients, basic preparation. This makes it a very accessible book, one that a beginning cook can easily grab onto. Most recipes consist of a few vegetables, a fat, and perhaps a carbohydrate base. There is a recipe for Cream of Spinach Soup that is delicately simple, but also unique. There is also the “Tomatican”, made with tomato, corn and broad beans. I could go on, but I don’t want to spoil anything.
These all come from chef Mollie Katzen’s restaurant, Moosewood, in Ithaca, NY. It is quite a gift that she has given us, since many chefs keep their recipes secret. This is what makes this cookbook so great: she wants you to become a better cook and cook more for yourself.
Beyond the intrinsic value of a book full of good recipes, the book is, in itself, a beautiful work of art. Every page, recipe, and word is written by hand. She herself has illustrated everything. It feels less like a ploy to make money and boost numbers, and more like a labor of love. Every page is different, and one could spend hours looking at the way it presents text and image, and how they play and conflict with each other.
This book is highly recommended for anyone who is looking to expand their culinary horizons, without breaking the bank or wasting too much time in the process. Vegetarians specifically will enjoy this cookbook as it offers a wealth of ways to use vegetables in unique ways, giving you new flavors and textures you may not have thought possible before. However, a fair warning for those who are offended by meat is that there are some recipes that do involve fish. However, just skip these and enjoy all the knowledge, helpful tips, and delicious recipes Moosewood has to offer.