Customer Reviews

Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I missed Rebar when I left Victoria, having eaten there since it was a small counter on lower Johnston street. Imagine my delight when my mother mailed me this cookbook.

Now everyone who eats at our house eats from the Rebar cookbook. I've managed to impress even those who find potatoes a little too exotic, as well as those who couldn't imagine a meal without a big hunk of flesh on their plates.

With only a few exceptions I've been able to find almost every ingredient (and I live in a tiny town). They are also good about substituting for more common items.

And delicious vegan brownies that aren't an oxymoron? Need I say more....

This is hands down my favorite cookbook. Everything I've made in it has turned out really well even though I am not a very good cook...ie. my idea of cooking is to follow a recipe or mix store bought sauce with noodles. I don't use this cookbook daily but I have adapted parts of recipes so that I can I can incorporate them into easy to make recipes. Although the recipes are a little too involved for daily cooking, I love this cookbook. Whenever I have people over for dinner, I use this cookbook and my guests are always amazing with my cooking. I, also, buy this cookbook as a gift whenever it is suitable.

You don't have to be veggie to love this book. I use it every day and can't believe the people giving it one star! Learn how to cook! If you like big taste and amazing soups and salads this is the book for you. I actually grow extra basil and freeze it just so I can make the basil dressing all winter long. MmMmMmM Rebar! I wish they would write another book!

This is a very good book especially for vegetarians. Many excellent recipes.
Ordering the book was fast with great help.

Keith

I mostly agree with the highly positive reviews of this cookbook. I wish that there were a site with recipe corrections or suggestions, though, because there are a few recipes that need a little adjustment. I'm thinking particularly of the Poppyseed Pappardelle: way too much salt, and a very soupy consistency (I think the mushrooms need to cook down more, and some kind of thickening agent needs to be used), with instructions that aren't as clear as most of the recipes in the book. (E.g. "deglaze the pan with the wine"--for the non-expert cooks, it would be nice to have this explained. And more information about how long each step should take). Also, where do they get pappardelle noodles in Victoria?! I tried several Italian delis, as well as the usual supermarkets, with no luck.

On the whole, though, great recipes. Some favourites are Monk's curry; Kung Pao noodles; and all of the soups are fantastic. Chocolate zucchini muffins are also great, esp for the summer zucchini harvest overflow.

This book is interesting to read, but the recipes are too complex for everyday cooking. I've had it for months and haven't used it yet although I cook almost every day. I suggest getting it from the library first.

How excited was I?
Finally a vegetarian cookbook that was not all granola hippy-dippy food, styled for the 70's veggie.
Something cool, interesting, elegant, using new ingredients, new approaches, fusion style cuisine....
Alas, this book has absolutely not lived up to my expectations.
I am a pretty good cook; I generally don't fail in the kitchen, this was absolutely not the case with this cookbook.
The recipes sound great but don't turn out; the amounts of ingredients are weird, and don't match up (i.e. so much pasta, so little veggie, or so much dressing so little salad)
I am thoroughly disappointed, to the point where I will return the book and opt for yet another hippy dippy granola vegetarian cook book with recipes that actually work.

It's a nice looking book with lots of pictures... who cares! Half the time the food doesn't turn out. I don't even think they recipe tested these recipes.

The ingredients are hard to find unless you have an excellent health food store in your area and for the amount of money you have to shell out for this book you would think the recipes would at least turn out.

I'd save my pennies and get How It All Vegan instead. It's worth every penny and the recipes (while they are simple) turn out every single time and taste fantastic.