The Vegetarian Bistro: 250 Authentic French Regional Recipes [Paperback]

Marlena Spieler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1997

Bistro cooking captures the gastronomic esprit of France, conjuring memories of the perfect lunch or cozy dinner in a charming little restaurant in Paris, or perhaps Provence or Normandy. But true bistro cooking can be a bit tricky for a vegetarian -- that is, until now. Marlena Spieler has traveled across France collecting favorite recipes from street cafe and corner restaurants and developing her own adaptations of beloved bistro fare. She brings fresh flavor and zest to the best-selling tradition of bistro cookbooks, presenting an enticing array of authentic dishes without meat. Destined to become a classic, The Vegetarian Bistroreveals a wonderfully healthful and decidedly delicious new side of traditional French bistro cookery.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A good French bistro may earn its renown for steak and pommes frites, but the best bistros have plenty of menu items that classify in the vegetarian category. Spieler appreciates the care that bistros take with vegetables, and her book elevates what are commonly side dishes to the status of entrees. Spieler offers some superior salads, both familiar cold salads as well as warm ones that combine cool, crisp greens with freshly cooked hot items, such as potatoes or cheese. For decades, great French restaurants have known that the secret to making vegetables memorable lies in dressing each vegetable separately and distinctively to make each a unique presentation. Spieler heeds that custom and also puts forth omelets, rissotos, and pastas to increase the substance of vegetarian dining. The current success of bistros in the U.S. and renewed interest in vegetarian cooking will create demand for Spieler's authentic recipes. Mark Knoblauch

About the Author

Marlena Spieler is the author of over 50 cookbooks published worldwide and has written for Bon Appetit and Saveur . She writes the award-winning food column "The Roving Feast," and is a three-time James Beard nominee. Born in Sacramento, California, she currently lives in Hampshire, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (July 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811813762
• ISBN-13: 978-0811813761
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #969,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic, creative vegetarian solutions to French cooking, November 10, 1999

By 

Victoria Barclay (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vegetarian Bistro: 250 Authentic French Regional Recipes (Paperback)

Having grown up in France, I have yearned for authentic vegetarian recipes. This brings France home. The recipes are easy, full of flavor, worth sharing with non vegetarians proudly. Even my kids ate the recipes. Some are higher in fat than I like, but I found them easy to adapt successfully (and I would not consider myself a cook). Worth every penny and a fun read.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great French Fare, June 10, 2002

By 

disco75 "disco75" (State College, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Vegetarian Bistro: 250 Authentic French Regional Recipes (Paperback)

This cookbook offers a great selection of dishes that taste like authentic French fare. The author provides short vignettes with each recipe, sort of travelogue pieces that set the stage for the dish. There are charming illustrations peppered throughout the book. The writing is straight-forward and the author's zest is apparent. She is more liberal with the fats than I would be, but this is easily adjusted. She also admits to a fondness for lots of garlic-- here too the recipes can use one clove instead of her preferred five cloves, or the garlic can be roasted to provide a mellow rather than biting flavor.

There are a variety of satisfying dishes that are quite true to their origins. The author provides some filling entrees, such as Puree Of Beans And Potatoes Over Roasted Red Peppers; Stuffed Savoy Cabbage; Pasta With Pistou And Goat Cheese; and Potato Cheese Cakes. She also presents a number of stews and souffles. Among the soups are great recipes for Fennel, Zucchini And Leek; Asparagus And Tomato; Celery And Celeriac; and Carrot And Tomato With Cumin. The salad section does not rely on greens: recommended are the Fennel And Red Pepper; the White Beans With Black Olive Dressing; and the Belgian Endives Baked With Roquefort. There are also good cheese and dessert sections in this wonderful cookbook.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent recipes, July 11, 2005

By 

Bookworm (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vegetarian Bistro: 250 Authentic French Regional Recipes (Paperback)

Delicious food and easy to prepare- all of the recipes we have tried from this book were winners. I have lots of vegetarian cookbooks, but this one has plenty of recipes and combinations that are missing in the others. There are also wine and side dish serving suggestions. However, I just can't stand the deckeled edges of the book. Sure- it gives a quaint, rustic appeal to the book, but it makes flipping through the pages impossible. The lack of photos and the layout of the pages takes away from an otherwise great cookbook. If it were redesigned, I'd buy another copy in a heartbeat.