Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables: A Commonsense Guide - Hardcover

Schneider, Elizabeth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060154209 ISBN 13: 9780060154202

Publisher: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1986

Synopsis

Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables: A Commonsense Guide was first published in 1986 to a fanfare of outstanding reviews and has become a modern-day classic. Now more timely than ever, this encyclopedic cookbook answers the most pertinent questions about the rainbow of fruits and vegetables available in supermarkets nationwide. Here is what home cooks need to know about arugula, cilantro, mango, shiitake, and snow pea as well as the less familiar carambola, chanterelle, lemongrass, passion fruit, and tomatillo. Descriptions rich in culinary, botanical, and historical information set the stage for nearly 100 of these produce items, while detailed methods of selection, storage, and preparation lead to more than 400 easy-to-follow recipes designed to bring out the best in each fruit and vegetable.

Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables is an indispensable reference for home cooks and professionals, gardeners and world travelers, and the food-curious everywhere.

About this title

Review:

As Elizabeth Schneider points out in her introduction, the immigrant culture of America is constantly restocking our markets and produce stores with "ethnic" fruits and vegetables that were hitherto unknown to any but the most worldly gourmets. Just as ginger, bean sprouts, and avocados were once strange, exotic substances, so Vidalia onions, fava beans, and passion fruit are becoming more common in stores nationwide.

In this magnificent, encyclopedic cookbook, Schneider discusses each of 80 fruits and vegetables, its origins, history, and appearance, its flavor, uses, and nutritional highlights. She tells how to shop for it and what to look for, how to store it and how long it'll keep, then she provides a selection of recipes (there are 420 in all) to inspire and reward your new culinary quests. Richard Sax's Hot and Sour Soup-Stew is a lovely way to try out Chinese cabbage, Sautéed Fennel with Lemon makes one wonder how one existed so long without it, and Collard Greens with Cornmeal Dumplings and Bacon provide you with the wherewithal to enjoy this ultimate comfort food in your own home, even if you don't hail from down South. Schneider's Commonsense Guide is an irresistible reference. --Stephanie Gold

From the Publisher:

Answers every question about the new varieties of fruits and vegetables available in supermarkets. Encyclopedic information, simple recipes; an invaluable reference for amateur and professional cooks, gardeners, and all who love food.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper & Row, Publishers
• Publication date: 1986
• ISBN 10: 0060154209
• ISBN 13: 9780060154202
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 546