Customer Reviews

From a Traditional Greek Kitchen: Vegetarian Cuisine (Healthy World Cuisine)

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This cookbook offers classic Greek recipes with a vegetarian twist. This 192-page paperback provides a complete collection of unique and flavorful vegetarian recipes that are a healthy alternative to the standard meat dishes. The traditional meatless dishes, such as spanakopita and baklava, are well represented, and this cookbook also contains modified versions of classics such as moussaka and dolmades.

While this cookbook does not provide any photos, it does provide a helpful section on Greek ingredients, and an informative herb and spice glossary. The cookbook includes recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, sauces, entrées, side dishes, breads, and sweets, and all recipes include nutrition information. Ms. Polemis, who is originally from Greece, also includes helpful hints and advice in many of the recipes.

While testing the recipes, I found that the instructions are easy to follow and understand. This cookbook might not be the best choice for a novice, but it is definitely clear enough for those with some culinary experience. The dishes were very flavorful, using traditional Greek accents and seasonings that are readily available at most local grocery stores.

Overall, I recommend this cookbook. It is a wonderful addition to any kitchen, not only for vegetarians, but also for those who would like to try healthy and flavorful alternatives to the standard Greek dishes.

I use this cookbook in combination with another, Greek Vegetarian Cookery, since both have similar recipes but some slightly different ingredients and I love to play when I cook. I see these two cookbooks as equals since they overlap in some areas not in others and where they overlap its interesting to combine ingredients from the two recipes to make something more flavorful. This is a great cookbook even as a stand-alone though, don't get me wrong. There are some excellent recipes for moussaka in here (3 different recipes are provided which is neat). The recipes are all quite easy and don't call for a lot of ingredients - all ingredients are easily found in the supermarket. There are quite a few eggplant recipes in here which for me was great since I love eggplant and am often looking for new ways to prepare it. So far what I've tried has been great. There's a good use of a variety of herbs (such as garlic, basil, cinnamon, etc - things that are pretty commonplace) and they're used appropriately. The chapters cover some of everything: appetizers (e.g. eggplant dip, cheese sticks, stuffed grape leaves - excellent recipe), soups (onion, lentil, chick pea) , salads (black-eyed pea salad, cabbage salad, greek salad, etc), entrees (eggplant soufflé, baked eggplant, eggplant au gratin, falafel, potato patties, lima beans in sour cream, spinach pie, stuffed tomatoes, zucchini patties etc), sides (artichoke dishes, baked eggplant, eggplant in tomato sauce, onion stew etc), breads, sweets. Definitely recommend this cookbook. Nutritional information (fat, protein, calories is provided for each recipe as well)

This book is great. This book really shows how many traditional recipes in the Greek cuisine do not have meat ingredients. It can be used by anyone who loves Greek food, ethnic food, or vegetarian cooking. I had even lent it to an Indian friend who's vegetarian and she found it to be very useful and the recipes easy to follow. I have always recommended Greek restaurants and recipes to vegetarian and vegan friends who have always appreciated the change of venue and menu!

A no-frills, honest and comprehensive Greek vegetarian cookbook. Everything you remember from your last trip will be there, plus much more. All the usual dishes are there, the non-vegetarian in their vegetarian version, sometimes even with some variations. All this in a clear, pleasant layout, with clear instructions and short, helpful hints. No "inventive" and "creative" recipes here, and believe me, nowadays that can be a relief. Because, for us Greeks, it may be fun to try out the creative chefs' inventions, but for one who is new to Greek cooking, I believe that it is best to start from the real, existing, traditional recipes, which are enough to last one a lifetime. After all, how many Greek recipes will a foreigner cook every year? Or if you're really into Greek food, start with this book, and then venture to the "inspired by Greece" creative ones.

I did find a non-traditional part, though, while browsing, The "falafel" page. First of all in Greece you don't call them falafel (this is Lebanese dish, very favoured in Egypt too), but "revithokeftedes". Secondly, she advises to fill a pita pocket with them. In Greece you don't do that, and Greek pita has no pocket, it's thicker, and bread-like, cannot be slit. Cypriot pita is oval and can be slit, Arabic pita is big and round and can be slit, but not the Greek one.

But this is a small quibble. You see, most English-language authors writing about Greek cooking are not based in Greece so they may become influenced by the foodstuff they see in American supermarkets.
No matter. I think this book is the best introduction to Greek vegetarian cookery, and if I had to recommend one of the ones I own to someone, I would pick this one.

This is a great Greek cookbook. It is a vegetarian cookbook, but I hardly noticed with all of the great recipes inside. It, of course, contains all of the basics like falafel, humus, and Moussaka, but there is so much more in this cookbook! One of my favorite recipes is the Cucumber-Yogurt Salad. It is wonderfully refreshing and makes a great side for a lunch. The book also contains some delightfully different recipes - green beans in tomato sauce, zucchini patties, and eggplants with cinnamon.

The recipes in this book are easy to make, so any cook should be able to prepare them. I would recommend this book to anyone who want to add some Greek recipes to their repetoir. Although it is a vegetarian cookbook, non-vegetarians will enjoy it too!

Every recipe is exciting and many unique to this traditional cookbook.

It is designed for folks like us who are interested in ethnic cooking that is not greasy or loaded with unhealthy ingredients but at the same time better than a restaurant except you have to do the dishes! We're vegetarians as well so we really liked it.

Try the little stuffed eggplant or the pastichio without meat it is phenomenal! Where's the meat? Who cares when you make these recipes. Or better yet give the book to someone who can cook them for you! I did and I don't regret it.

I got this as a gift for my Mother-in-Law so she could become more familiar with Greek cooking on my side of the family and since she likes to cook I figured it'd be something fresh for her to try. Delivery of this item was on time:)