Customer Rating: 
Summary: Vegetable Harvest rocks for the Francophile
Comment: After reading some of the negative reviews I almost didn't buy this book. Since I have Patricia Wells' other books, I thought I would bite the bullet and try this one. I'm so happy I did! I read the introductions to each recipe in one sitting and imagined I was in France again. Yes, some of the recipes are simple, but others are more complex. You can choose what you're in the mood for. There are recipes for winter vegetables and summer vegetables. I made the simple pepper soup (with orange peppers) and it was great. The special ingredient to add at the end is definitely walnut oil. Since everyone is starting 2009 on a diet, this book is perfect inspiration to cut back on heavy dishes with lots of calories and to eat healthfully.
Customer Rating:
Summary: What a Great Find!
Comment: I tend to ignore my cookbooks and just use [...], but on the advice of a friend I bought this book, since I'm going mostly vegetarian. One of the things I particularly appreciate is that Wells tells you up front what equipment you need - very helpful to those of us with tiny apartments who would dearly love to have a rice cooker or indoor grill but would have to get rid of some important furniture for that. Also if you need parchment paper, it's helpful to know that at the front of the recipe.
Food-loving recipes, great illustrations and a hand-friendly sized book. I might actually use this more than Epicurious!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: A mediocre offering from Patricia Wells
Comment: My goodness! Some of the gushing reviewers sound like they're working for Patricia Wells's publisher! I've always liked her cookbooks; my copy of "Bistro Cooking" is full of cooking stains. And I have a thing for cookbooks. But this one is not worth the money. There's little new here, except for an annoying tendency to stick "piment d'espelette" (try finding THAT in the supermarket) in everything. I have a huge vegetable garden, but I'm much more likely to reach for books by Deborah Madison or Marion Morash or Mark Bittman. Some have called this a "foodie" cookbook, which I call damning with faint praise. There is a certain kind of cookbook that is fun to read in bed (this one is very pretty, with clearly written recipes and nice photos), but doesn't lend itself to constant use in the kitchen. This is one of those.
Customer Rating:
Summary: vegetable harvest; vegetables at the centre of the plate
Comment: 'a joy to experience' is the only way to describe Patricia Wells "Vegetable Harvest".
As an experienced cook and caterer I applaud the bravery and insight of the author to create this tome which unashamedly champions the bounty of her personal garden .
One niggle was as an Australian I found the lack of metric measurement in recipes a frustration.
Vegetable Harvest" is inspirational in its prose, and entertaining with quotes and wine suggestions. One gets the impression of health and vitality from this book without needing to reckon the calorific value of each recipe which is given with other nutritional info for readers .
I am left with an overwhelming desire to plant my own "vegetable harvest" but failing that, to seek out the best produce that I can afford or find, as the overriding message of this book is one of "reverence for nature and its bounty"
cheers
Customer Rating:
Summary: Giving veggies their place
Comment: This book is both a visual feast for the eyes and a salute to vegetables and the farmers/growers responsible. The book, the latest in a number of cookbooks written by this author, is designed around the premise that vegetables should be center stage on the plate. Instead of creating meals around meats, fish or poultry, the author writes in the introduction she began putting the vegetables first and working everything else around that.
The result is a colorful ode to vegetables that provides many different ways of cooking and using them to shake up the meal and your palate. Moving from appetizers, to salads, to soups, to poultry and meats and ultimately breads and desserts with every stage in between, author Patricia Wells creates meal after delectable meal on paper. Almost every single recipe is illustrated, not with a picture of the dish, but instead with a picture of the vegetable or vegetables for sales in the markets near the author's home in France.
Cooks experienced with various types of cooking equipment and utensils will find these recipes simple while those of us with less experience may find some of the more complex ones intimidating. Still, the instructions are straightforward and understandable and each recipe comes with a small amount of dietary information on calories, fat, carbohydrates, etc. Those on salt sensitive diets may wish to do a little research on items within a recipe before actually making the dish as that information is not provided.
At 324 pages, including an index and a detailed section on various things that each cook, according to the author, should have on hand such as homemade chicken stock, basil-lemon dressing, watercress pesto, etc. this book is aimed primarily at cooks that have the time and skills necessary to go beyond the standard fare. As such, this book is interesting, colorful and inspiring and can be used as tool to increase variety at the table.
Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2008
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