Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine [Paperback]

Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby (Author), Donna Gentile Wierzbowski (Editor, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 14, 2007

Horizons is Philadelphia's signature vegan restaurant. And it's not just for vegetarians; the New York Times called it "one of the city's best new restaurants." In Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine," Chefs Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby offer over 80 recipes and inspiring food stories that are sure to build your culinary repertoire with restaurant-quality results from the new generation of vegan cooking. This full-color, glossy-paper cookbook contains over 50 photos and recipes for Soups, Salads, Appetizers, Entrees, Sides, and Desserts as well as a "Getting Started" section for those new to vegan food preparation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Landau's exotic and inventive preparations of seitan and tofu are spectacular. The food is so carefully wrought, so vividly infused with creativity and satisfying flavors that any meat eater with half an open mind is in danger of being impressed. --Craig Laban, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2006

Landau's exotic and inventive preparations of seitan and tofu are spectacular. The food is so carefully wrought, so vividly infused with creativity and satisfying flavors that any meat eater with half an open mind is in danger of being impressed. --Craig Laban, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2006

Philly's vegetarian and vegan dining scene is up-and-­coming. The best spot for an upscale vegan dinner is Horizons. --Frommer's Travel Guide

Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby have concocted a menu that blows the lid off the misfired paradigm that all vegan food is dull and bland. They're taking vegan cuisine to another level. --Bob Gordon, Montgomery County Town & Country

Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby have concocted a menu that blows the lid off the misfired paradigm that all vegan food is dull and bland. They're taking vegan cuisine to another level. --Bob Gordon, Montgomery County Town & Country

Imagine flying through the Caribbean, island hopping and trying out the local cuisine, while watching lush red sunsets over crisp blue waves. Ok, you don t get to do that just by reading a cookbook, but you do get to read about the fruits of those travels and I couldn t help but feel some of the inspiration that these two felt from these locales transferred over to myself. If you can t tell yet, I was captivated by this cookbook.

The layout of the colors is pleasant, if rather uniform, and nearly every recipe has a beautiful picture. You can learn a thing or two about presentation from scanning the various recipes, giving you an idea of how the finished dish should look, what size each ingredient should be, and most importantly, you ll be inspired to make the dish!

I particularly enjoyed the Hearts of Palm Moqueca, which happens to be the recipe featured on the cover of the book. It s a great mix of coconut milk, peppers, tomatoes, hearts of palm, and an intoxicating mix of spices. The Spicy Jamaican Curry Seitan Stew was hot, aromatic, and full of depth while the Spanish Tomato Artichoke Soup with Peas was an easy recipe to love.

There is also a section of baking and desserts at the end of the book and while it s not extensive, the recipes not only look delicious, they look like recipes even beginning dessert makers and bakers can perform at home. Finally, the first part of the book is a mini-primer on various aspects of vegan cuisine, from how to work with tofu, seitan, and tempeh, to kitchen equipment, to spices, stocks, wines, vinegars, and other common ingredients. Again, it s a great educational book as well as an inspirational cookbook and well worth the purchase. Chef Landau peppers this book with his experience with travel and food, his recipes show it and I couldn t resist being taken along that journey with him. --May 2009, Chef Jason Wyrick, Vegan Culinary Experience.com

Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby have concocted a menu that blows the lid off the misfired paradigm that all vegan food is dull and bland. They're taking vegan cuisine to another level. --Bob Gordon, Montgomery County Town & Country

About the Author

Rich Landau, Executive Chef, and Kate Jacoby, Pastry Chef and General Manager, are the owners of Horizons.

Rich was born and raised in Elkins Park, PA. When he first became a vegetarian, he was often frustrated with the limited culinary options that were available to him. As a result, Rich frequently found himself in the kitchen, at home, or in the restaurants at which he worked, experimenting with food and inventing new dishes to satisfy his demanding palate. With his self-taught kills now honed, he opened his first restaurant, Horizons Cafe, in Willow Grove, PA, in April 1994.

Kate was born and raised in Huntingdon, PA. After studying French and Sociology at Georgetown and Temple University, she eventually followed her heart (and stomach) to Horizons. Having been a loyal customer for years, her part-time work soon turned permanent. Her pastry skills are also self-taught.

Rich and Kate were very happily married in September 2004, on the serene shores of Lake Nockamixon.

After 12 years and 2 expansions, Horizons Cafe finally outgrew its space in Willow Grove. In February 2006, Rich and Kate dropped the "Cafe" and moved a more upscale Horizons to Center City Philadelphia, PA.

Over the years, Horizons has become a major contributor to the dining scene in Philadelphia. Rich and Kate are proud to have helped shape a more positive perception of vegetarianism and veganism in the region. They published their first cookbook in December 2003, Horizons: The Cookbook - Gourmet Meatless Meals and the latest cookbook in December 2007. They have made various radio and television appearances, including the NPR's A Chef's Table, and a two-year run as regulars on Your Morning on CN8. When time permits, Rich and Kate also give cooking classes through Temple University. They also offer demonstrations and consulting services. One of their favorite recent community activities was judging a vegetarian cooking contest for high-school students.

Rich and Kate try to spend all their spare time near beautiful waters. Their favorite places on Earth include the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, Nice, Mallorca, Barcelona, London, Kauai, and the Florida Keys. Rich loves boating, running, and gardening. Kate loves tasting and learning about wine and swimming in whatever warm-ish water she can find. Their ideal moments are spent sipping cocktails and snacking by the water's edge at sunset, living for today and dreaming of what's next.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Horizons; 1st edition (December 14, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 061516126X
• ISBN-13: 978-0615161266
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #544,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recipes to Impress EVERYONE With, June 25, 2009

By 

Jennifer (NePA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine (Paperback)

I am so grateful to finally have a recipe book that I can depend on for entertaining guests (vegan or not). I have not been disappointed in any of the meals I've tried, and in fact, some of the recipes are staples (trust me, you will become addicted to the tofu from the "Grilled Tofu Provencale" on page 106! My fiance and I have a supply of that in our fridge at most times during the grilling season).

My only complaint is that some of the ingredients are hard to find if you live in a small town; however, all the recipes are fairly simple and even easy once you get your hands on what you need, and in the end, the result is unbelievable.

If the authors happen to read this review, I would like to beg you to share your recipe for the Bistro Steak you serve in your restaurant. That meal is the best meal I have ever eaten in 32 years of eating!!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for fantastic food, March 2, 2008

By 

Michelle Shekari (Chattanooga, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine (Paperback)

The new book from Horizons is a must for great cooking that vegans and meat-eaters will love. The recipes are easy to follow and you'll be amazed by how good they taste. This book is great for beginners or for people will more experience in the kitchen. You won't regret buying this book because it'll add so much to the food you prepare; your friends and family will be really impressed and everyone will enjoy the great food. Horizons' new book has really stood from all the other recipe books that I've seen. If you're doubting whether you should buy this book, I would definitely recommend it!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars badly written recipes, never tested, March 27, 2010

By 

K. Conrad - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine (Paperback)

The restaurant "Horizons" in Philly is a truly fantastic dining experience. Because of that I was very please when someone gave me this cook book as a gift. I am a professional chef specializing in recipe development, writing and testing - and after making 6 recipes in this book I feel quite certain that these recipes were never tested as written. Amounts are off, heat and salt levels range from mild to over-the-top strong, and (worst) very important details are left out. Recipes call for ingredients without describing how they should be used (like 16 oz seitan - no mention of strips, chopped, sliced - ???). These are talented chefs -they need a professional recipe writer to help them with their next book so that the reflection is up to their talents.