True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure [Hardcover]

Sam Fox is a restaurateur. Michael Stebner is an executive chef and of course Andrew Weil is a legendary health guru with international tastes and a surprising expertise in the kitchen. What they've done together aside from writing this book is found and operate True Food Kitchens, a growing chain of restaurants where the emphasis is on food that is (as in the subtitle of this book) "Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure."

What this means can be discerned by going over the recipes in the book. This is not a vegan or even a vegetarian cuisine. This is an international cuisine fit for an epicurean flexitarian! The emphasis is on the fresh, bold, and organic with little meat, some chicken and a bit more fish. Many of the recipes are inspired by Weil's concept of the "Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid." There's a color photo of the "pyramid" in all its glory on page 46--no words, just the foods themselves. At the apex is chocolate (!) followed by red wine, food supplements, spices like ginger and chiles, and foods like fish, beans, avocados, mushrooms, veggies and fruits, etc. (You can see the labeled pyramid at Dr. Weil's website.) At the base of the pyramid which represents foods that should form the bulk of our diet are the veggies and fruits.

Weil says that he used the Mediterranean diet as a template in his design of the pyramid. He explains that these foods and not the highly processed foods found in the stores and in most restaurants lead to less inflammation in the body and to a healthy life style. The cuisine (I'd call it an international cuisine based on healthy food choices), Weil writes, "includes fewer foods of animal origin, except for fish and high-quality dairy products like yogurt and natural cheeses." (p. 47)

Yes, this is the middle way of moderation between veganism and bacon-corn syrup gluttony (if you will). Vegetarians are not going to be thrilled and vegans are going to be offended. But there are recipes for vegans dishes (e.g., Butternut Squash-Apple Soup with a cashew base on page 97) in contrast to, well, the recipe for a "Bison Umami Burger" on page 140.

Dr. Weil doesn't eat beef but believes that bison is a healthy substitute. I would say, perhaps--at least for now until and if it becomes popular, and then the food producers will make it as unhealthy as commercially produced beef. There's a recipe for the (vegan) "Umami Sauce" on page 236. Key ingredients are tamari, nutritional yeast and garlic.

I am writing this before dinner and wow are the recipes making me hungry! This is the perfect cook book for me since I've long followed a similar diet and much prefer cooking at home with my choice of ingredients done my way to going out to eat. But compared to the authors of this book I'm just a chef's helper with a limited range. Weil, Fox and Stebner demonstrate a deep and abiding knowledge about and love for food. We're all foodies under the skin, but some like Weil are really in another league. I've read and reviewed several of Dr. Weil's books, always favorably and always with some reservations. I'll skip the reservations here (since they are few and insignificant) and just say that I am amazed at Weil's understanding of food and his vast experience. He has clearly spent a good portion of his life experiencing food, thinking about food, eating food and cooking food! (And yes I thought he was doing yoga.)

The book begins with an Introduction that is an interesting conversation about food and the restaurant business among Weil, Fox and Stebner. Next comes "The True Food Pantry," a list and description of somewhat unusual but characteristic ingredients, such as agave nectar, chiles, flax meal, tahini, etc. Then come the recipes in chapters entitled, "Breakfast," "Appetizers," "Salads," and so on to "Desserts" and "drinks." There are mini essays on such things as "True Whole Grains" (page 21) and chapter intros written by Weil or Stebner. The recipes are also introduced and/or commented upon by either Weil or Stebner identified by their initials.

The book is beautifully designed and edited, full of easy to read bits of information about food and diet. The full color photos of the foods are gorgeously mouth-watering.

--Well, okay, one reservation: this cuisine requires not just a love of food but the time and energy to go to good markets on almost a daily basis and to keep on hand (and fresh!) a number of specialty ingredients. I'm thinking of the pickled cucumbers, the umami sauce, the dashi sauce (requiring, e.g., kombu and bonito flakes) and a variety of chiles and of course fresh fruits and vegetables. The only way you can achieve this is to really immerse yourself in food and to love what you're doing. But I think the reward is well worth the effort because not only will you be eating healthier, you will find that you can eat reasonable amounts of delicious food with relish, and because you have spent that extra energy shopping and cooking, you will have help in keeping a healthy weight.

Favorite substitution: Kalamata olives for anchovies in the Vegetarian Caesar Dressing on page 233.

Favorite tip: When toasting nuts realize that they are still cooking after being removed from the heat source. So as a general rule, "once you can smell the nuts, they are done." (p. 243) I learned this the hard way with sesame seeds and foraged Digger Pine nuts.

In a nutshell, this is now easily my favorite cook book.

--Dennis Littrell, author of "Yoga: Sacred and Profane (Beyond Hatha Yoga)"

When I was offered a copy of this cookbook, I jumped at the chance to review it. After all, I've been a Health Food Person since the 80s, when "eating healthy" meant carrot loaf and adding a tablespoon of brewer's yeast to everything. (Thankfully, we all got better at it.) True Food's goals of seasonable and sustainable align with my own, too.

Plus, the True Food restaurants are near me, here in Scottsdale. I've been to them several times, and would probably have said Yes to the cookbook just for the recipes for their drinks. (There's a nonalcoholic ginger-fizz drink sweetened with agave that I really like.) The problem is: I stopped going to the restaurant because they use olive oil a bit too much; since my husband is extremely allergic to it (not YOUR problem), we get tired of playing 20 Questions with the wait staff. But that made me more enthusiastic about the cookbook, since obviously at home I can use any oil I want.

I've spent several weeks with this cookbook and... I have mixed feelings. I really like the goals it sets, but too few of the recipes make me say, "Yum, let's make that for dinner tonight!" Either they are fussy, or they use ingredients that are hard to find even for this Scottsdale foodie. (Why yes, I *DO* do all my shopping at Whole Foods and gourmet markets.) I appreciate cookbooks that introduce me to new ingredients, such as sea buckthorn and samphire, but if *I* can't find them, they may be out of reach for you.

Plus, Dr. Weil, who inspired the restaurant, is well known for his own dietary recommendations, some of which don't match mine. Some do: smaller portions of seasonal, organic ingredients; less emphasis on a big slab of moo (more fish, heavy on the veggies and grain). He advises to cut back on sweets and eat smaller portions (which I do, my chocolate reputation notwithstanding: Give me one perfect chocolate truffle, not a pound of M&Ms) but he doesn't make THAT big of a distinction between types of sugar. I've found, purely for myself, that I'm fine with agave, honey, maple syrup, but refined sugars are best left to once-in-a-great while.

The bottom line, though: Do I want to cook these recipes? Do YOU?

I usually try to cook two or three dishes from a cookbook before offering an opinion. As it turns out, I made only one so far, and it turned out quite well. The curried cauliflower soup is vegan, out-of-the-ordinary, and delicious. In addition to the cauliflower and curry powder, it uses a third of a cup of raw cashews, a can of coconut milk, and a few more spices (turmeric, cumin, and a touch of cinnamon). It was fast enough to put together for a weeknight meal, and reheated easily for lunch. (Come to think of it, it's also rather frugal.) I still haven't made the drink that had made me shout YES to the review offer, but it'll happen: Basically it's soda water, fresh lime juice, agave nectar (you can find that in most health food stores, even one of the warehouse stores occasionally), and pulverized ginger juice (e.g. blend fresh ginger with water, strain). (Several of the drinks are alcoholic, if that's more your speed, such as a tamarind margarita, or the Peacemaker with honey, black tea, lemon juice, rye whiskey, and Averna liqueur.)

I have bookmarks in several more recipes, but they've been stuck in the "Maybe I'll get around to it" category. Tofu curry with cauliflower, rice noodles, and cashews, for instance. Miso-marinated black cod, which must wait for me to see that fish in the store. Roasted butternut squash, apple, and pomegranate salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

But some are suitable only for a leisurely afternoon puttering in the kitchen. The summer vegetable casserole was briefly a candidate for the Thanksgiving table (we have a vegetarian guest every year and cater to his needs... I'm such a nice friend), with layers of an eggplant relish, fennel braised in orange juice and wine, squash and tomato, and a Parmesan-bread crumb topping. Others just don't appeal to me (sorry, I'm not a kale girl). And then, of course, there's the challenge of finding ingredients; I can get halloumi nearby but I'm not going to bet that's the case for you.

One thing I would like, given the health-conscious premise for this cookbook, is nutritional information for each recipe. Dr Weil may not count calories, carbs, etc., but some people -- including many of the health-conscious people who'll be drawn to this cookbook -- do.

Still, I _like_ this cookbook. I appreciate its sensibilities, even if I don't use it very often. If you have a good source of organic produce and some exotic ingredients, it might be just the ticket for you.

True Food is truly an amazing cookbook. The recipes are unique, delicious and easy to make - not at all intimidating, yet they introduce you to many new and exciting healthy ingredients to help your body thrive. The tone is friendly and conversational, and the book itself is absolutely gorgeous, with dozens of lovely photos on top quality paper that is a pleasure to handle. Learn about whole grains, anti-inflammatory eating, the benefits of bison over beef, why garlic is a cure-all, and so much more. I've had the pleasure of dining at True Food Kitchen three times and every meal was amazing. Since I don't live near one, I feel so lucky to be able to replicate some of their genius in my home kitchen now!