The Vegetarian Table: Mexico [Hardcover]

Victoria Wise (Author), Deborah Jones (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Vegetarian Table | Publication Date: March 1, 1995

Inspired by the increasing popularity of vegetarian fare and the vibrant taste sensations of Mexican cuisine, this second volume in The Vegetarian Table series offers a full range of tempting vegetarian appetizers, entrées, and desserts with a piquant flair. A delectable mosaic of culinary traditions joining the Old World and the Americas, the book's 80 recipes -- from a spicy Jicama and Watermelon Salsa to classic Chiles con queso, savory Red Enchiladas, and tasty Dessert Empanadas with Apple and Pecan Filling -- provide the perfect opportunity to indulge the vegetarian palate. With over 30 gorgeous, full-color photographs and a glossary of special ingredients, this unique and accessible cookbook makes it easier than ever to add a Mexican accent to any table.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mouth-watering color photos enhance the appeal of these 90 recipes, which adapt Mexican cuisine to the vegetarian diet. Wise (American Charcuterie), a former first chef of Chez Panisse, avoids animal ingredients except for eggs and dairy products and replaces lard with the more healthful olive oil, though many of the recipes are not low-fat. Six chapters present salsas and condiments; tortilla cuisine; soups; pasta, rice and beans; salads and vegetables; and sweets. Tradition shares space happily with the innovative: a recipe for fresh tomato salsa leads into one combining jicama and watermelon, and another mixing grapefruit and pumpkin seeds; a classic tortilla soup is followed up by one calling for russet potatoes, cantaloupe, lime, serrano chiles and milk. Frequently calling for traditional ingredients with which many cooks may be unfamiliar, Wise includes a useful glossary of ingredients in this handsome, tempting collection.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Victoria Wise was the chef of Northern California's acclaimed Chez Panisse restaurant prior to starting her own charcuterie. A former food columnist with The Los Angeles Times, she is also the author of several cookbooks, including The Well-Filled Tortilla

Deborah Jones has won an International Association of Culinary Professionals award for her photography. Her images appear in many cookbooks, including Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking (0-8118-3383-6), A Perfect Glass of Wine (0-8118-1295-2), and the Vege

Product Details

• Hardcover: 156 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811804755
• ISBN-13: 978-0811804752
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #841,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wise Approach to Mexican Cuisine, May 9, 2006

By 

J. Ereck Jarvis "Squire Allworthy" (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vegetarian Table: Mexico (Paperback)

I acquired this book while living in San Francisco, where cheap delicious fresh Mexican food was so readily available that I never bothered making it in my own kitchen. Now, living in the Midwest, I'm delighted to have Victoria Wise as a guide.

I would emphasize the term "guide" because Wise's book encourages and at times necessitates taking matters into your own hands. The prefatory remarks that frame each recipe prove helpful and engaging. Another Amazon.com viewer faults Wise for including tomato paste and water in a recipe for "Fresh Tomato Salsa." However, the reviewer neglects to mention that both ingredients are marked optional: "a little sugar or tomato paste is included if the tomatoes need sweetening or thickening," and add water "as needed, depending on how juicy the tomatoes are." The book teaches rather than directs. Thankfully so: "Savory Chickpea and Walnut Empanada Filling" proved delicious, though only after I increased the spices (doubling! the cumin) to suit my taste.

Like many cookbooks published by Chronicle, the recipes are heavily inflected by California cuisine. Witness "An Unclassic Tostada" comprised of black beans, Golden Rice, and mango. Or a twist on the Caesar: a salad of romaine with creamy Roquefort dressing and cornmeal chili strips. "Authentic cuisine" simply does not exist anywhere, and Wise keeps this always in mind. The introduction emphasizes the many influences present in Mexican cooking, and each recipe's prefatory remarks nicely contextualize the dish-- reporting on her research and acknowledging elements gleaned from "upscale turista restaurants" and one-man stands in Coyouacan.

The dough for empanadas is mind-blowing: shockingly easy and simple but always a hit at parties. Wise's thoughtful book keeps Mexican food alive and interesting...even when tomatoes aren't at their ideal juiciest.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars creative mexican recipes, November 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Vegetarian Table: Mexico (Hardcover)

You might want to start with "vermicelli with tomatoes and chipotle chilies". It is a definite crowd pleaser and a very different way to prepare pasta from the traditional italian. With this recipe and several others, Victoria Wise has put together a very successful mix of flavorful and relatively easy dishes. She also provides a sufficient glossary of terms and a short history of Mexican cuisine--important for a beginner.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A mixed bag, July 3, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Vegetarian Table: Mexico (Paperback)

I like Mexican cuisine and was very happy to find a vegetarian Mexican cookbook that looked promising. Needless to say, I was disappointed.
For starters, the "fresh tomato salsa" includes tomato paste and water! Other recipes are better, but nothing particularly stands out. Pictures are rare and with all the cheese in these dishes, the food does not qaulify as healthy. Unfortunately, this is not a cookbook that I end up using often.