Tassajara Cookbook | 
 enlarge | Author: Karla Oliveira
Creator: Patrick Tregenza
Publisher: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $16.25
You Save: $13.70 (46%)
New (31) Used (16) from $12.91
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 187038
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.7
Dimensions (in): 10.1 x 8.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 1423600975
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.5636
EAN: 9781423600978
Publication Date: August 7, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, the legendary Buddhist monastery set deep in California's Ventana Wilderness, is famous for its healthy gourmet vegetarian cuisine. Guests are known to rave about one particular Tassajara tradition: the bag lunch. Tassajara Cookbook shares these never-before-published recipes for savory sandwich spreads, pates and loaves, egg and tofu sandwich fillings, salads, chutneys, sauces, marinades, and butters, as well as recipes for baked goods and sweet treats.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Promised more than it delivered.... December 29, 2008
This is the most poorly edited cookbook that I've ever read (and I've read many!). It's filled with numerous problems: recipe intros which refer to ingredients not listed in the recipe, incomplete instructions, and inadequate ingredient descriptions.
I'd read several poor reviews of the book but assumed they were written by very picky reviewers; not so! Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book despite the gorgious layout and photographs.
 Buyer beware! December 26, 2008
I was SO disappointed in this book. As a frequent visitor to Tassajara, I was expecting a range of Tassajara recipes -- because the title of the book is Tassajara Cookbook, not Tassajara Bag Lunch Cookbook (you have to read the fine print to find that). There are no entres, no hearty soups, no breads (for which Tassajara is justly famous), and no real desserts. The photos are mouth-watering. The book itself is not what it purports to be. Tassajara deserves better, and you'd be better off with the Tassajara Recipe and Tassajara Bread books, both cheaper and in paperback.
 Tassajara Cookbook... an inspiring recipe/ picture book May 28, 2008
the history and traditions of tassajara are evident in this collection of recipes inspired by the retreat centre's picnic lunches. i found this to be a much-used book both for the recipes (which can be easily adapted and taken in many different directions) and the photographs which capture the practice and peacefulness of the zen centre. these days, nothing slows you down more to the state of presence and joy like a well-made picnic!
Look carefully before buying . . . December 30, 2007
15 out of 21 found this review helpful
I am always seduced by cookbooks that purport to give recipes for delicious vegetarian food, especially picnic goodies.
So seduced, I bought the book, paying full price at a wonderful inn with an equally wonderful vegetarian restaurant -- the Stanford Inn in Mendocino CA if anyone is interested.
When I went looking for a recipe, I decided to try the Honey-Mustard Tofu (p. 126).
The first direction is to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Okay, that's clear. But then you see that you are supposed to marinate the tofu for at least 2 hours! With the oven on?? Obviously not, but a well-edited cookbook would not put the instructions in the wrong order. This cookbook either was not edited at all, or was edited by someone who never cooked anything AND lacked commonsense.
We see that the recipe is the most requested recipe for the Bag Lunch at Tassajara. Hmmm. Wouldn't you think that the author would take the time to get the recipe right?
Well, the author not only did not get this recipe right, but several others appear to never have been edited as well.
Thumbing through the book, I find Three Nut Pate on page 79. The introduction says it is best if made ahead and allowed to sit for a few hours. The recipe, however, says to spoon it into a serving dish immediately after processing it in a food processor and to garnish with fresh basil leaves. In my experience fresh basil leaves quickly turn brown and look really sad if left for a few hours.
Here again the author should have provided clear instructions regarding adding the garnish just before serving.
The publisher should publish a revised edition of this book. It's a discredit to Tassajara in its present form
 It feels like deja vu December 26, 2007
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
All the recipes seem to be very similar with minor exceptions. The book is a nice collection of condiments and spreads and will not tax your budget too much. All the cookies that I have tried have come out well, too bad the publisher messed up the end of the book and reprinted the dressings again after the cookie section. If you are interested in purchasing this book, first preview it from a library or your local bookstore. It really didn't inspire the vegetarian in me.
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