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Rating: 
Summary: Okay, but not great
Review: Being a vegan, I can't make all the recipes in this cookbook, but the ones I've tried so far have ranged from wonderful to icky, sometimes in the same meal (like the North African Couscous Salad, which is terrific, and the Tunisian Pumpkin Soup, which looks and tastes gross; the two are recommended to go together). The good news is that there's a lot here to choose from and plenty of recommendations on what dishes to put together to make a meal. The bad news is that, aside from not always producing spectacular results, some of the recipes are long and involved. If you're interested in a Moosewood recipe book and don't already have it, I suggest trying "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home." It's much more reliable, and the recipes are relatively easy -- but bear in mind that that recipe book, like this one, is not strictly vegetarian.
Rating: 
Summary: If you can't get to the restaurant, get this book!
Review: It's that simple! This is the book that knows there's more to soups and stews than meat and potatoes. WOW, what great flavors!!! There are so many good ideas in here, and if you're lazy or time-constrained, there are simple substitutions to make many of them easier. I'm not a big salad eater...but this book is well worth the price for the soup and stew recipes. Perfect for cool evenings!
Rating:
Summary: Not Just A Soup & Salad Cookbook
Review: Like to cook? I mean, like discovering new seasonings and playing with interesting ingredients? If so, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! Don't be dismayed that the recipes are all soups and salads. Those are very broad categories! Many "salads" are more like casual meals (such as Bean Puree with Seven Savories, which is pretty much a really cool Middle Eastern-style nachos, using toasted pita wedges instead of tortilla chips, of course). And as for soups... there are SO MANY different recipes here, no matter what your idea of soup may be when you open this book, it'll have expanded ten-fold after you've perused these pages. The best part is, soup and salad are such forgiving mediums, this book is perfect for the home chef who wants to explore. Helpful text explains unusual ingredients and describes why certain vegetables & seasonings were chosen to enhance flavor and texture in each recipe. At the bottom of every recipe, the Moosewood editors were kind to include a half dozen or so dishes that would compliment it nicely. Makes meal-planning a snap, and so far, they've been right on target, every time. I got this book for Christmas and many of the recipes have already become "regulars." I have no qualms about trying new dishes, even when serving guests, because you can trust these recipes to need little, if any, tampering. Though I have several Moosewood cookbooks (and I like them all), I can't recommend THIS book enough. Really! Oh yeah, and I wanted to also mention that Moosewood also includes time estimates & nutritional informaton for every recipe. gotta love that.
Rating: 
Summary: Easy and Excellent Recipes
Review: Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special is truly an excellent cookbook. The book is logically organized, and recipes are easy to find either using the comprehensive index or the mini-contents that begin each major section. Each recipe is informative and creative, and the dishes always turn out well. So far this is the only soup cookbook I use -- the recipes are that good. One of my favorites is the Curried Cauliflower Soup. This soup satisfies your Indian food cravings, and if you've never had Indian food cravings, this soup is sure to start you on your way. I usually make double the recipe and freeze the leftovers to serve over rice another day. I highly recommend this cookbook for anyone looking to dish out some lighter fare.
Rating:
Summary: Simply delicious!
Review: The recipes are reliable and easy to follow. Personal favorites: Butternut squash soup with sizzled sage, Jamaican tomato soup, Spicy carrot peanut soup, Black bean and chipotle soup, Tortilla soup, Corn chowder, Cream of mushroom, and Creamy herbed potato. There's a large chapter on salads. Try the Asparagus and fennel pasta salad, Caesar salad, Chef salad a la Moosewood, Tomato flowers and the Tostada salad. At the end of each page it will give menu ideas as to which salads go with which soups. Very helpful. Their salad dressings are very good but my all time favorite which I make once a week is the Moosewood house dressing. A delicious combination of canola oil, cider vinegar, honey, spinach leaves, basil leaves, dijon mustard, a little salt, fresh ground black pepper and buttermilk. All whirled together in a blender and tossed on fresh greens. It will keep in the fridge for about a week. Very easy directions. Lovely.
Rating:
Summary: Simply delicious!
Review: The recipes are reliable and easy to follow. Personal favorites: Butternut squash soup with sizzled sage, Jamaican tomato soup, Spicy carrot peanut soup, Black bean and chipotle soup, Tortilla soup, Corn chowder, Cream of mushroom, and Creamy herbed potato. There's a large chapter on salads. Try the Asparagus and fennel pasta salad, Caesar salad, Chef salad a la Moosewood, Tomato flowers and the Tostada salad. At the end of each page it will give menu ideas as to which salads go with which soups. Very helpful. Their salad dressings are very good but my all time favorite which I make once a week is the Moosewood house dressing. A delicious combination of canola oil, cider vinegar, honey, spinach leaves, basil leaves, dijon mustard, a little salt, fresh ground black pepper and buttermilk. All whirled together in a blender and tossed on fresh greens. It will keep in the fridge for about a week. Very easy directions. Lovely.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent cookbook for soup lovers
Review: This book is about soup, salad and sides. The soups in this cookbook are imaginative and delicious! Being a vegetarian and loving soup I always get bummed because nearly all soup in restaurants is made with Chicken or Beef stock, with this book I can have soup as much as I want! I have made some of the salads, which were good and several salad dressings which were very good. There are several deterrants from purchasing this book 1. You absolutely need to have a cupboard full of exotic spices 2. You can't be intimidated by long ingredient lists 3. Everything seems to be pureed (best advice-get a hand mixer-cuts time, work and clean-up) 4. Many recipes call for expensive cheese (not good for budget or vegans). If none of this seems daunting then again this is a fantastic soup book. Plus, if you make a big batch it lasts for several days-no cooking! Everything i have made has been oustanding!
Rating: 
Summary: Vegetarians be warned!
Review: This is a really great soup book (and salads). The recipes have are very well put together. I had been looking for a source of soup recipes and this book is now the place I come to first. If you're looking for just vegetarian recipes then you'll be a little disappointed like a previous reviewer was since there is a section on seafood soups (10 pages long) and a section on seafood salads (13 pages long) but out of almost 400 pages of recipes that's not much (and although I haven't tried them they sound pretty tasty). I'm psyched about this cookbook. The recipes are easy, the ingredients are accessible yet not boring, and the end result is delicesuse!!!
Rating:
Summary: This is my favorite cookbook ever!
Review: You know how most cookbooks start off with appetizers, beverages and end with dessert? Well, if you're like me and definitely don't need a recipe to fix a beverage and don't want another dessert idea, this is the book for you! First, the recipes are fairly simple. Sure, there are a few exotic ingredients thrown in, but most are easy to find and these dishes don't require a lot of steps. Second, the book focuses on what vegetarians (or semi-vegetarians) are most interested in making--soups and salads. Easy to cook for dinner or great for a week's worth of lunches... Third, these are refreshing recipes! Who wants another recipe for mac and cheese or potato salad??? I loved the Welsh Rarebit soup. The Baked Bean Soup and French Pasta Salad (with crumbled cheese and toasted hazelnuts) were also hits at our house. Fourth, there is a small section at the back that includes some interesting supplemental recipes...croutons, quick breads, etc. They're great, and the soup and salad recipes include references to these in case you have a few extra minutes and want to make your meal really special. I use this book on a weekly basis and always find something tasty. Kudos the the Moosewood staff for giving us health-conscious folk some more ideas for dinner. I've purchased this book as a gift for others and would recommend it without hesitation.
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