Customer Reviews

Vegetarian Appetizers: Simply Delicious Recipes for Easy Entertaining

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Packed with creative approaches to the enhancement of fresh foods, Vegetarian Appetizers is a sampler of gourmet, internationally influenced, sophisticated, yet simple appetizers that are designed to appeal to inclusive palates (vegans, vegetarians, and others). Divided into five chapters, the 144-page hardback covers Appetizer Basics, Light Bites, Mezzo Bites, Sizable Bites, and Sweet Bites, plus Paulette's tips and an appendix for vegan recipes. Most of the 70 plus recipes take just one page, and there are many accompanying color photographs to illustrate the presentation.

Experienced teacher/author/T.V. host Mitchell takes the intimidation out of such taste experiences as Caramelized-Onion Fritatta With Chimichurri Sauce, combining Italian and Argentinean flavors, or Yam Croquettes With Tangerine-Sherry Sauce, or Five-Spice Diced Vegetables in Endive Leaves with Plum Sauce, or the cover feature, East Indian inspired Cumin Scented Potatoes in Filo Cups.

Sprinkled throughout the recipes are invaluable tips for flavorful shortcuts, such as in the referral to Penzeys Spices for making Lebne with Zaatar, a middle eastern herbed yogurt cheese. From the simple, such as Guacamole, to the exotic, such as Quail Eggs With Olivada, to the challenging, for example Vegetable Pates with Creamy Horseradish Sauce, Vegetarian Appetizers packs a punch you and your guests won't forget to appreciate.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

We had some parties over the holidays and this book was a key resource for pulling out some creative, interesting dishes that everyone loved. Mushroom pate was a particular hit. The flavors are interesting but not weird, variety throughput the book is great. Most of our friends are meat eaters so it was fun to do an hor d'oeurve party where no one missed the meats. Highly recommended! It made it easier for me to enjoy the holidays! Great resource.

Ms. Mitchell packs her book with fresh ideas. If you are looking for something new, this is it. Even if the title of the recipe suggests something that you have read before, rest assured that Ms. Mitchell has added something different and delicious to it.

Anybody can create a tasty dish by drowning it in butter or melting lots of cheese over it. Many standard appetizers are unhealthy for this reason. Although Ms. Mitchells does use cheese from time to time, her recipes are not drowning under it. Don't get me wrong I love cheese as much as the next person but so often I have had to pass by the standard appetizer plate because it is full of cheese laden appetizers. Ms. Mitchell uses imaginative combinations of ingredients and spices and herbs to make her recipes stand out. This is also a great book if you are trying to get your family to eat more vegetables. Just increase the size or number of her appetizers and serve them as delicious vegetable side dishes. Wish I had more than five stars to assign to this book.

I was thrilled to find this book b/c I'm always looking for appetizer ideas that don't involve meat and love vegetarian cooking.

Unfortunately, I've tried multiple recipes from this book and just have not been impressed. The pictures are nice but the food itself isn't particularly tasty--generally fairly bland, uninteresting, and boring. Many of the recipes are too complex to be practical when you need to make up an appetizer for a party. I've owned it for 2 or 3 years but I'm going to purge it because I just have been so disappointed with the recipes and choices of appetizers. Of the 20 or so vegetarian cookbooks (and a few non-vegetarian ones) on my shelf now, this is the only one I'd give away.

I love this book! Delicious appetizers displayed beautifully... with clear instructions. These appetizers would be enjoyed by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. I am so pleased!