One of the more interesting, even unusual cookbooks I’ve received this year is called A Short Course in Culinary Experiments: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine for Innovative Non-Experts, by S. Muralidharan, Ph.D. Despite the clumsy title, this self-published book is ripe with delicious recipes and techniques. Following a very complete and informative A-Z (well, A-W) ingredients list, from asafetida to wheat flour, the author delves into instructie advice and recipes for cooking staples like basmati rice and dosa.
But the real meat, so to speak, of the book is the lengthy chapter on vegetables. There, the reader will find a treasure trove of Indian-flavored veggie recipes, everything from asparagus curry to zucchini sambar. Muralidharan emphasizes that the aim of his book is not to advocate a switch to vegetarianism—he doesn’t have an agenda—but rather simply to provide innovative and tasty cooking ideas for anyone who wants to eat more vegetables, vegetarian or not. To that end, he succeeds deliciously. For more information and to order, visit SimpleIsTasty.com
On Friday, August 29, Greg Neville and Lug%uFFFDno restaurant will host a private Spanish Wine Tasting & Tapas Night, in advance of Saturday’s Sundance Food & Wine Festival. A Spanish-themed buffet and tapas will be paired with wines from Bodegas Las Orcas and Pago San Gabriel. Also in attendance will be winemakers Raimundo Abanado and Luis Olarra. The cost for the tapas and buffet is $39 per person with an additional $29 for the optional wine pairing. Lug%uFFFDno is located at 3364 S. 2300 East and its phone is 412-9994 (LuganoRestaurant.com).
If you’ve ever tried the homemade mustards at Deer Valley’s Fireside Dining, you know how tasty they are. Now, you can buy Deer Valley’s gourmet Fireside fig mustard at its Signature stores or online at DeerValley.com.
Quote of the week: The act of putting into your mouth what the earth has grown is perhaps your most direct interaction with the earth. —Frances Moore Lappé
Send Food Matters info to teds@xmission.com.
