Post a Comment        E-mail To A Friend        Join The List

Jessica Greene and Ted Hafer, The Grit Cookbook

by Mary Catherine Brutz
02/04/2008

For many people, the word “vegetarian” connotes a plethora of confused thoughts. That can’t be healthy. Those people have bad breath. Could I only eat potato chips and M&Ms and be considered a vegetarian? I don’t get it.

Whether you share these ideas or are yourself a vegetarian and know the real truth, The Grit restaurant, located at 199 Prince Avenue in Athens, makes preparing vegetarian cuisine both easy and accessible.

The Grit Cookbook, written by Jessica Greene and Ted Hafer, was first published in 2003 and can be found at the restaurant itself or in many shops around town for less than $20. You can also purchase it from Amazon.

Greene and Hafer’s self-proclaimed “meatless wizardry” translates into over 100 recipes that are sure to turn even the most skeptical meat-and-potatoes man into a believer.

The book first lays out a helpful list of about 20 items that are used frequently, such as tofu, vegan margarine, soy sauce and Morningstar crumble (a soy-based meat imitation product). Next comes the good stuff: some of The Grit’s most popular dishes accompanied by many recipes that are not as well known, but equally delicious.

One of the first recipes is perhaps one of the restaurant’s most ordered items, Black Bean Chili. The extra large batch prepares enough for 16 servings and is also a key ingredient in the Mondo Burrito, Breakfast Burrito and Black Bean Staple recipes.

Also included in the Fundamentals chapter are staples from homemade salsa to marinara sauce and yeast gravy.

The Soups chapter leaves nothing to be desired, with cool summer soups to hot stews and chowders that are perfect for the crisp winter weather. Greene and Hafer also include an entire Breads section, with a variety of interesting choices such as Foxy’s Beer Bread and Irish Soda Bread.

With salads and sandwiches deluxe and plentiful enough to be whole meals, it seems as though an Entrée chapter is not even necessary. But then again, what cookbook would be complete without Entrées?

The main courses in the cookbook are inspirations from a variety of world cultures. Asian and Middle Eastern dishes are included in addition to Italian and Mexican classics. Various pasta dishes fill the pages as well as a variety of ways to prepare tofu. Anyone care for Jerk Tofu or Tofu Meatloaf?

I personally made the Cilantro Pesto and White Bean Quesadillas one night and found they tasted so great that I did not even miss the lack of meat in my meal. The taste was fresh, the ingredients were affordable, and the simplicity in preparation was a sigh of relief.

Of course, sides are always needed to accompany any main dish and this book offers 16 tasty options. Green Beans with White Wine and Mustard Sauce and Whipped Sweet Potatoes are among the seemingly endless number of choices.

Finally, one of the largest chapters of the book is the Desserts section, full of mouth-watering selections. The Basic Pie Crust, consisting of only six ingredients, is used as the base for creations such as Chocolate Éclair Pie and Coconut Rum and Cashew Butter Silk Pie.

A variety of cakes also fill the section, some of which are purely vegan, such as the Vegan Carrot Cake and Chocolate Vegan Death Cake. What a great way to make you feel less guilty about eating dessert!

This cookbook makes preparing vegetarian meals simple and delicious. It includes so many recipes that anyone can find something they will enjoy, whether they are vegetarian or not.

The great part about this book is that all of the ingredients can easily be found around Athens, allowing for an uncomplicated way to experiment with vegetarian fare. This book also doubles as a great gift for anyone who enjoys cooking and trying new things. Pick one up today and try these “world-wise, down-home recipes” for yourself.