THE VEGETABLE BUTCHER, a 5-star food reference & Goodreads Choice Awards 2016 nominee

The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini
Cara Mangini
Workman Publishing
$29.95 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: The skills of butchery meet the world of fresh produce in this essential, inspiring guide that demystifies the world of vegetables.

In step-by-step photographs, “vegetable butcher” Cara Mangini shows how to break down a butternut squash, cut a cauliflower into steaks, peel a tomato properly, chiffonade kale, turn carrots into coins and parsnips into matchsticks, and find the meaty heart of an artichoke.

Additionally, more than 150 original, simple recipes put vegetables front and center, from a Kohlrabi Carpaccio to Zucchini, Sweet Corn, and Basil Penne, to a Parsnip-Ginger Layer Cake to sweeten a winter meal. It’s everything you need to know to get the best out of modern, sexy, and extraordinarily delicious vegetables.

My Review: I voted for this book in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. I don't have a kitchen, and I still procured this cookbook for myself because I loved the title. I learned a lot from it, I loved the photos!, and the text was helpful and also slyly amusing.

Vegetables have always made up a large percentage of my diet, unrepentant carnivore that I am. I love them, except kale, corn on the cob, and sweet potatoes. Roasted brussels sprouts with tart Granny Smith apples! The yummiest! Cornbread stuffing with carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, Northern Spy apples!! A meal for the goddesses. Cabbage steaks roasted (sensing a theme here?) with olive oil then dressed with brown mustard/balsamic vinegar sauce!!!

*drool break*

And now, for that longed-for day when I have a kitchen, I've got fresh ideas on how to prepare them. Gotta love that.