Hi there,
What follows is my friend Robbie Cheadle’s (https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com) review of the Moosewood Cookbook. In addition to being a fantastic cook, writer, and photographer, Robbie is passionate about the environment. Please check out her latest book, which combines poetry and environmental concerns. The title is Lion Scream: Syllabic Poetry About Southern African Wildlife. It is available through Amazon.
The Moosewood Cookbook: 40th Anniversary Edition by Mollie Katzen
Introduction
This is a vegetarian cookbook, and as my family are not vegetarian and are, in fact, big meat eaters, I wouldn’t historically have bought this book. I have, however, been trying to move my family over to a more vegetarian lifestyle because I would like to reduce our collective contribution to global warming and climate change. As a result of this mindset, I was pleased to have an opportunity to consider the recipes in this book and whether they would work as part of my new eating plan for my family.
The recipes are nicely set out in sections headed Soups, Salads, Sauces and dips, baked things and sandwiches, and Entrees.
I liked the recipes; they offered me new food combinations, especially in soups. Winter is approaching in the Southern Hemisphere, and I love to have soup at lunchtime, so I tried two of the soup recipes, Hungarian mushroom soup and Swiss cheese and onion soup. Both were delicious, and my changes to the original recipes were limited to substitutions of ingredients that I had in my pantry instead of buying a similar item, for example, garlic flakes instead of fresh garlic.
I also tried the spanakopita recipe and that was also very successful.
Based on my three test recipes to date, I would purchase this recipe book. My family also enjoyed the three meals I made using this book.
Swiss Cheese & Onion Soup
Ingredients
30 ml butter
2 medium onions
15 ml garlic flakes (original recipe 1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced)
10 ml dry mustard
5 ml salt
5 ml white horseradish sauce
30 ml cake flour
30 ml Fortified Wine (original recipe used dry sherry)
2 cups water
1 ½ cups warm low fat milk
200 grams Emmentaler cheese, grated (original recipe used 1 ½ cups Swiss cheese)
Method
In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter. Once melted, add the onion, mustard, and garlic. Allow to cook for approximately 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly and then add the fortified wine, stirring all the time. Slowly add the cold water and blend well. Add the horseradish sauce. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the warm water and the grated cheese. Bring to the boil stirring constantly. It will thicken. Add the white pepper. Serve with a sprinkle of paprika and homemade white bread.
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen children’s books and two poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.
Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews.
Robbie, thank you again for your excellent review and for being such an essential part of our world community.
30 responses to “COOKBOOK CONFIDENTIAL COOKBOOK CLUB – Robbie Cheadle reviews Swiss Cheese and Onion Soup”
Ooh, this one looks very delish. Thanks for the post
GM Antionette, thanks for stopping by. Hope all is going good with the wedding preparations.
This soup recipe was delicious. I am making more of the recipes from this book.
Hi Bernadette! I love good food,and like Robbie, I’ve been incorporating more and more no-meat or low-meat recipes in our meals. I’m always on the lookout for new recipes. Cheers!
Hi Meeks, this is a lovely vegetarian cookbook. My whole family enjoyed the three dishes I’ve made from this book despite their being vegetarian (they tend to march in protest if the dish is meat free – smile!)
lmao! I can just see your boys giving you the evil eye. I was a bit luckier as the Offspring has never been a big meat eater so the transition to less meat was more a case of me finding recipes that I enjoyed. 😀
I’ve made this soup Robbie, and it is indeed very well received by the family!
Hi Dorothy, that is great to know. A super recipe book.
I think as people get used to eating interesting and tasty vegetarian recipes, they will be more likely to accept less meat in their diet. The reason so many don’t like veges is that all they were served were peas and carrots! A great recipe, Robbie.
Hi Darlene, I think you are right. Vegetarian cooking has become much more interesting.
Robbie, I totally agree.
Hi Bernadette, thank you for this lovely post. I really like this cookbook and will be using it again in the future.
I would love to eat more vegetarian and am thinking about starting with one day a week with no meat.
That is exactly what I do Diane. I have started to look forward to making a meatless meal.
Bravo Robbie! This looks delicious – but all of the recipes shared so far have!
Hi John, I really like the recipes in this book. I’m struggling a bit with the next one though as the ingredients are not as straight forward.
Robbie, do you mean the next selection? If so, please don’t feel alone with that struggle. I am too.
😁💗
Cheese and onions how glorious – this looks yummy!
This soup was delicious, rich and creamy.
The description and image of this soup gives me the impression of eating an entire bowl of fondue. And I can totally support that! Nicely done. 👏
Thanks Terrie, I second that thought.
Hi Terrie, this recipe is rich and creamy. I couldn’t eat a huge amount of it, but as an appetizer it is lovely.
I’m glad Robbie reviewed this recipe – I wondered what it would be like…as a starter it would be a lovely way to begin a winter menu I imagine.
Hi Jo, my family loved this rich and creamy soup.
You can’t beat onion soup with Swiss cheese! A wonderful cold weather recipe!
I’m not a vegetarian, and have no intention of becoming one. But I have nothing against anyone who is.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete. This soup is lovely for everyone. As you know, I am also not a vegetarian.
That sounds so good. I just jotted down the ingredients so I can make it this week after shopping. Wonderful to see Robbie here with her Moosewood review and recipe. Thanks for the feature, Bernadette.
that’s an interesting ingredient to add – cake flour!