Excerpt
From the Introduction
That first Vegetarian Epicure, and its sequel, captured the geist of a certain time--it was a guilt-free era, when butter and cream were used without a care and when cheese ruled. And while some may say, "Alas, things are so different now," I say thank goodness they are. We are all finding healthier ways to eat and enjoy lighter food, and I, for one, have never enjoyed it more. But this is not the only change that inspired me to work on a new book.
The years roll by, crowded with living, and so many things have changed since then. I have lived and cooked in so many different situations. I have traveled and worked. I've started raising two wonderful children...As a country, too, we've grown more sophisticated about cooking. Ethnic and cultural influences keep surfacing, and the availability of good raw materials continues to expand.
And yet, the really important things don't change.
Food is part of our lives every day. We eat to live, and why not live well? Fresh food, prepared with pleasure, is a wonderful thing...Good food brings sustenance and joy. Friendships are formed over it, wounds are healed, milestones are celebrated, and children raised on it. Good food is more than a recipe; it's part of everything else.
From the Hardcover edition.