I first discovered this cookbook some years back when I was part of a group doing volunteer work in rural Brazil. Most of us were vegetarians, so we took this book along with us for recipe ideas. We were very limited on available ingredients and were forced to omit or substitute about half of everything that was required. Nevertheless, we produced really great dishes from that book. As soon as I got back to the US, I ordered a copy for myself and started cooking some truly amazing meals!The Horn of the Moon Cookbook has a lot going for it. First, unlike most other vegetarian cookbooks, it does not concern itself with fat content. (A lot of the dishes are extremely high in fat.) There are plenty of resources out there for people looking to reduce fat or cut calories, and most vegetarians, even those who are highly health conscious, are willing to splurge now and then for something really good. (Just like people who eat meat.)
Also, I was amazed by the number and variety of recipes. When I first got the book, I didn't know where to begin. Salads, sandwiches, soups, pastas, pizzas, desserts, breakfast foods -- it all looked so good, and the results almost never disappointed. (The only notable exception was the cashew french toast.) This book will keep you busy for weeks!
In addition, the recipes will appeal to everyone, not just vegetarians. If you have a friend or relative that you want to introduce to a vegetarian lifestyle, just cook them a few meals using these recipes. Or if you are a non-vegetarian and need to plan a meal for a group of people containing some vegetarians, use this book. The vegetarians will appreciate it, and the non-vegetarians will enjoy it and probably not even notice the lack of meat.
My favorite recipe is the one for Pizza Alfredo. I guarantee you've never had pizza like this before! Every time I make it, I'm always amazed when I take the first bite at how good it is. I also enjoy the Black Bean Soup a lot. I usually quintuple the recipe (I have a very large pot.) and freeze most of it to make it last, so I can have a bowl every day for a month, or longer. Also, every halloween, I buy an extra pumpkin (in addition to the one for the jack o'lantern) to make the Pumpkin Pie recipe. That's now part of my halloween tradition.
If you are a vegan, you probably won't get as much out of this book as people who are willing to eat dairy products and eggs. There is a lot of dairy in this book! But there are some vegan recipes, and of course you can adjust some of the other recipes to your needs. The same goes for people who are really watching their fat intake.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Different recipes will appeal to different people, and it would be hard to imagine someone who couldn't find at least a handful of recipes in it that would delight them. This is definitely my favorite cookbook; I've never found one that even comes close!
