I’m finally getting around to posting this collection of recommended cookbooks. While putting together recipes for the Essentials of Vegetarian Cooking last month, I pulled some cookbooks from my shelves to recommend to the students. They asked me to put them on the website, so here they are. I’ve noted whether they’re ovo-lacto (milk & eggs), ovo (eggs/no dairy), lacto (dairy/no eggs), vegan (nothing with a face), pescatarian (vegetarian + fish), or macrobiotic.

Way back in time, when few vegetarians roamed this continent (ca.1976), I bought Laurel’s Kitchen: A Handbook for Vegetarian Cookery and Nutrition at the Harvard Coop. It was my first introduction to vegetarian cooking and I still think it’s the gold standard for ovo-lacto vegetarianism. So many of these recipes are the basis of a lot of meals around here; in fact, I don’t refer to the book anymore, being so familiar with them. The recipe for dal – a lentil dish found all over India – became the basis for my version, Spicy Yellow Dal with Spinach and Tomatoes. About a quarter of the book is devoted to nutritional information; however, the lastest edition is twenty years old, so some of the information might not be current.

Other books from the archives:

Vegetarian Table: Italy , by Julia della Croce. This book is actually one in a series; others (by other authors) include Mexican and Thai. If you’re thinking of going veggie, Italian cuisine is a painless way start. (Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian)

Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites., From the Moosewood Collective. Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York, has been around since the ‘70’s. It’s well known among the vegetarian cognoscenti as a source of natural foods cooking and creative vegetarian recipes. They have slew of cookbooks and a great website, but this cookbook is my favorite of the lot. It does contain some fish recipes, for all you pescatarians. My recommended recipe from it: Savory Hoisin Fish, which I must have prepared a thousand times during my personal chef days. (Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian, Pescatarian)

Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian. Jaffrey’s one of those cooking gods; if you love Indian food, you probably have at least one of her cookbooks. This is a collection of 650 recipes from ‘round the globe. The Tunisian Couscous with Red Potato Sauce recipe pays for the book. The photos are limited (I have a fetish about buying cookbooks with pictures – no pictures, no dice). A great, comprehensive ethnic cookbook that’s not just for vegetarians. (Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian)

The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen, by Peter Berley. Berley was a chef at Angelica Kitchen, a New York City vegan Mecca. The book has no photos, but I bought it anyway because his recipes are clear, straightforward, everyday vegetarian cooking. The cookbook, as he explains, is not strictly vegan. Try the Pumpkin-Walnut Pate if you buy the book (or grab it out of the library). (Mostly Vegan)

Dakshin: Vegetarian Cuisine from South India, by Chandra Padmanabhan. “The South” here is south India, not the U.S. south. This is pretty hardcore, and I recommend it to Indian food lovers who are also fairly experienced – and patient - cooks. You’ll have to trek to the nearest Indian grocery for a lot of the ingredients, but recipes like the Vegetable Korma make it worth the trip. (Lacto Vegetarian)

The Candle Cafe Cookbook, by Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza. Another strictly vegan restaurant in New York, the Candle Cafe serves very upscale food. It’s a small book, but the recipes will amaze you. I always thought vegan cooking was pretty grim, but it’s a myth, people, a myth. If you’re curious about tempeh, the Aztec Salad is a nice introduction.  The photos are drool-worthy. (Strictly Vegan)

The Macrobiotic Way, by Michio Kushi. Why do I even have this book? I used it while working as a personal chef for a family of vegans.  The macrobiotic diet has a lot of appeal, advocating whole grains, bean, local, seasonal ingredients, the use of soy products and sea vegetables, and natural sugars. It’s not strictly vegetarian, as certain fish and shellfish are allowed. The downside: no potatoes, tomatoes, fennel, asparagus, eggplant, tomatoes, avocados, spinach, and peppers – they’re to be avoided. The recipes in this book aren’t my cup of bancha tea, but the Fried Udon and the Tempeh-Sauerkraut Nori Rolls are pretty darn good. (Macrobiotic).