The Millennium Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine (Hardcover)

Some of the recipes are indeed quite complex -- even daunting in the sheer number of cross-references -- but making and serving them is pure joy, and the intermediary steps can be extracted for use in simpler dishes. The range of dishes is good, and the "Basics" section is very cool. Altogether, a nice counterpoint to the Green's style of egg & cheese laden vegetarian cooking.

Buy this book and throw a dinner party for a group of omnivorous foodies- then tell them no animals were abused in the process - they will be amazed. I'm devoting the year before the calendar millennium to mastering the entire collection of recipes - one Sunday dinner at a time.

The typical vegetarian cookbook presents a healthful and appetizing array of recipes, but most ofthem are the standard fare we all know and love. The Millennium Cookbook by Eric Tucker andJohn Westerdahl is a rare and very welcome exception. Here is a visually pleasing and well- organized collection of over 250 original and imaginative delights, worthy in every respect of theMillennium name.

If you've never had the adventure of eating in San Francisco's Millennium restaurant, you'll haveto look at the excellent color photographs in the book to get an idea of how exciting this can be. Each dish is a visual work of art and the flavors, textures and aromas tend to be both subtle and exotic, but always pleasing to the most finicky palate.

The Millennium Cookbook's recipes are all vegan (no animal products, no eggs, no dairy), some simple and relatively quick to prepare, others requiring the preparation that must be given to a culinary masterpiece. Each recipe has an analysis of calories, fat percentage and grams, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium and fiber. Many recipes have low fat directions and analysis for those who choose to omit oil. In addition to devoting a section on each course of a meal (with decadently delicious desserts by Sacha Weiss), there's a how-to section called "basics" that explains how to cook grains, make seitan, smoke tofu, prepare stock and much more. This section alone is worth the $19.95 price.

The book is a faithful representation of a Millennium experience. Having met Chef Eric and delighted my taste buds there a number of times, I look forward to making almost all the treats presented. While my efforts may lack the unique atmosphere of that restaurant, I'll have the pleasure of an eating adventure worthy of any special occasion. And when I want to give anyone who loves food, vegetarian or omnivore, a special present - the Millennium Cookbook will be my choice.

The Millennium Cookbook, available early November, 1998, is published by Ten Speed Press, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA. 94707. Paperback, 10.25 x 8.25, 258 pp. ISBN: 0-89815-899-0.

----------------- Neal Pinckney is a retired psychotherapist and analyst who was told five years ago that he would soon die if he didn't have heart by-pass surgery. He didn't do either. Following the Ornish program, he is well and active, helping others with support groups fostering low fat vegetarian lifestyle changes. He is the author of the Healthy Heart Handbook, including 76 low fat vegan recipes.