Vegetarian Tastes of Toronto: A Collection of the City's Finest Recipes

Wouldn't it be great to take your family or friends to Toronto? Imagine strollingthe city's streets, taking in the sights and the sounds - and the tastes - of this fascinating, multi-cultural city... ("But I don't have the time to travel...""I'd love to, but the bills are piling up...") Oops, a taste of reality is sneaking in! Unfortunately, for most of us, extensive travel just isn't always possible. But if you long to sample Indian, Asian, Latin American, European and North American vegetarian cuisine, the Toronto Vegetarian Association has made it easier for you. Pick up a copy of "Vegetarian Tastes of Toronto" and you can see what I mean. This collection of over 150 recipes was garnered from Toronto's many vegetarian restaurants, cooking classes and caterers,as well as other places that specialize in vegetarian cuisine. All are vegan, have been fully kitchen-tested, and reflect the cultural diversity and tastes of the cooks who created them. The book's collaborators wanted a collection of recipes that were easy and quick to make, and so also included a list of "Short Cuts to Vegetarian Cooking."

The book concludes with a resource listing of vegetarian cooking classes, restaurants and other sources that offer vegetarian foods. Also offered is advice on where and how to shop, kitchen equipment to have on hand, a list of natural food substitutions and equivalents, ingredient glossary and advice on storing food. In addition to offering a glimpse of the culinary diversity of Toronto, this book gave me a chance to revisit a childhood memory of my personal ultimate "comfort food" - in the form of Veggie Tofu Pot Pie. I love pot pies, though granted my memories are of a single-serving pastry filled with tender veggies, sauce and(yuck!) meat chunks. This recipe calls for cubed tofu, onion, celery, and the chef's imagination for the remaining vegetables(I used a variety of convenient frozen veggies). Two options for gravy are also suggested; I selected the "Savoury Gravy" that is very reminiscent of the traditional animal-fat-and-flour gravy my Mom used to make. A "Fat Free Onion Gravy" was also an option, one I'll try another time. The end product was thick, rich and satisfying, although his certainly isn't a whip-it-together-in-20-minutes kind of dish. And it is higher in fat than I'm used to, which is why I'll try the fat-free gravy next time.

A new-found favorite is "Spicy Potatoes and Garlic" which is a very simple way to jazz up an ordinary spud. I added to the convenience of this recipe by cooking it in a pressure cooker, reducing the cooking time from 45 minutes to less than l5. This is one of those recipes that is really more of a concept than a specific set of rules to follow. Quite simply, all it is is sauteing garlic in a little oil, adding potatoes, water and a few spices, and steaming until the potatoes are tender. You could easily vary the spices to achieve a different flavor flip (the recipe blends the pungent tastes of turmeric, paprika and cayenne, but you could just as easily use basil, oregano and garlic, or cilantro, cumin and dill.) "Vegetarian Tastes of Toronto" offers recipes for breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks; appetizers and dips; salads, dressings, and greens; main meals including burgers, cutlets, soups, stews,pies, casseroles, loaves, and recipes reflecting the cuisines of Asia, India, the Mediterranean, Hungary and Latin America. Also included are sauces, grains and breads, and desserts.

You're sure to flnd many temptlng recipes to try - and while It's not the same as a trip to Toronto, thls cookbook beats the alternative. After all, you could be somewhere else - with the same old stuff on the table and no new ideas for what to make for your next meal. Thls might,just be the next best thlng to belng there!

- Review by Jennie O. Collura