This week I thought it was only fair to share a review of one of the books that led to last week’s “Rent Before Buying Cookbook Pledge.” The Meat Free Monday Cookbook: A Full Menu for Every Monday of the Year by the Meat Free Monday Campaign, Annie Riggs and Paul, Stella, & Mary McCartney was a cookbook I looked forward to reading. I admit, without hesitation, that a lot of that enthusiasm came from my fondness for Paul McCartney. He seems like such a nice, colossally rich, nice, vegetarian, nice, enormously talented, nice guy. If he contributed to the book, I reasoned, it must be very nice.
I also love the theory behind Sir Paul’s Meatless Monday campaign: get carnivores to give up meat one day a week. The benefits of this strategy are two-fold. First, it has the effect of immediately reducing meat intake, which is good for health and the environment. Second, and more importantly, it should have the long term effect of convincing carnivores that giving up meat is not really a sacrifice at all – in fact, lots of meals are completely delicious without it!
There is no doubt that the book is beautiful, as one might expect from the influence of the artistic McCartney clan. The presentation is unique -- rather than provide individual breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes for each season, 13 complete daily menus are presented for each season, including “packed lunch” and “lunch” (I assumed to eat at home) and dessert options, taking advantage of produce in season. The first thing I noticed is that there was no definite criteria for the lunches – some of the home lunches appeared simpler than the packed choices.
Another thing I noticed was that some daily menus didn’t provide much dietary diversity. For example, Spring Week 10 offered a packed lunch of Pasta with Spring Herbs and an at home lunch of Crunchy Cauliflower and Macaroni – so far, so good, although the packed lunch is supposed to be heated, and that’s not possible at every office. But then you turn to dinner for the same week, and the recipe is for Stir-Fry with Spring Vegetables and Noodles. Really? When you’re trying to convince carnivores that vegetarian fare is not bland or boring you suggest pasta for 3 meals in the same day? Autumn Week 2 suggested a potato Rosti for at home lunch, followed by dinner – which featured a side of potato salad. I don’t think most of us would plan family meals that way.
I have made some of the recipes from the book – the Rosti was really quite delicious. I wasn’t as successful with the Sicilian Cauliflower Pasta – as written the recipe was far too dry. It was easily saved by a can of diced tomatoes and some wine, but if you’d followed the recipe slavishly, it would have been inedible. One of the biggest disappointments was that some of the celebrity contributions had a “phoned in” feel. Sir Paul, all around nice guy, contributed the Winter Week 12 breakfast offering: Toasted Bagel with Hummus. It may well be his favorite breakfast, but did I really need to pay $20 for that recipe? No.
Bottom line, had I taken this book out from the library first, I wouldn’t have purchased it. Meat Free Mondays is really geared for complete veggie-phobes, something I definitely am not. Or perhaps those who simply don’t know how to cook without meat – but that’s something I do far more often than not. It’s not a total loss – I made both the Rosti recipe and the Glamorgan Sausages more than once, and they are now part of my repertoire. But lesson learned: Rent before Buying!
Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. Thanks to Beth Fish Reads for hosting!
FTC disclosure: I did not receive a free copy of this book for review.
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I always shy away from celebrity cookbooks --even ones by nice guys! -- for a number of reasons. The menus don't sound very well thought out, but it's great that you picked up a few good recipes. This sounds like definite rental material.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome to borrow any time -- you would love the photography. It's a pleasure to browse through it.
DeleteWhat a great concept - too bad it's not executed better.
ReplyDeleteI think if you were one of those people who couldn't imagine what breakfast would look like without eggs and bacon, this book would be a big help. And the desserts look gorgeous -- I just rarely eat dessert.
DeleteI agree with Beth F. I am always dubious of celebrity cookbooks, no matter how nice, but I'm always willing to check a cookbook out from the library, no matter how dubious. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a sound plan. In this case, there really were some good recipes, I was just the wrong target.
DeleteI'm on board with the Meatless Monday idea, but sorry to hear this cookbook was such a disappointment. At least it helped lead you to the rent before buying pledge.
ReplyDeleteYes, a victory for my pocketbook and my future kitchen renovation. As my husband points out, "We do need room for food you know. It can't be all cookbooks!"
Deletehonestly, I think that even the more dedicated carnivore has a meatless day at least once these days, for various reasons. Still not a bad idea if not too well done in this case.
ReplyDeleteI would generally agree with you, Caite, but I think there is still a real feeling that veggies = deprivation for some people. I know my dad might have a meat-free day by accident, but he would never set out to do it, because he really feels like he worked his whole life to make sure there was always enough meat. But he did live through the depression, so that memory may be behind his feelings.
DeleteI might manage a meat free day a month... but not each week.
ReplyDeleteI used to put a lot more meat in our months as well. I'm not sure why my tastes have changed so much, but they really have. I'm sure my husband would eat way more meat if that's what I cooked :)
DeleteI'm intrigued by the organization of a day-full of meals by season. Too bad the implementation didn't meet expectations.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. If the days had been better thought out nutritionally, I think it would have been a stronger book.
DeleteIt's too bad this book didn't work for you. I think that Meatless Mondays may be McCartney's most important contribution to society and that is saying something.
ReplyDeleteOutside of The Long and Winding Road, I totally agree (it was my Senior Prom theme, after all). I so love the idea, I wish the book had measured up to it!
DeleteToo bad about this one! In general I always 'rent before buying' with cookbooks, and there have been so many times that I was glad I did! I look forward to seeing more of your cookbook reviews - your areas of interest seem very like mine. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI am having a lot of fun renting. Next week I'll review Nigella Express, and the week after that Crescent Dragonwagon's Passionate Vegetarian.
DeleteI have the Linda McCartney cookbook and it's very dog-eared. We don't always have a meatless Monday but we do have one day a week that is meat free.
ReplyDeleteNice book.
Oh, I like your reading list to the left here. Gives me other places to check out for book sites!
I have not read Linda McCartney's book, but I am putting it on my rent list. Thanks! I agree, it is a great group of blogs. I recommend them all :)
DeleteWe try to make the rent before buying our policy, too, when it comes to cookbooks. We've ended up with so many luscious looking ones that just didn't come up to expectations! So now I just put in requests at the library and when we come across one where we're wowed over and over again, that one goes on the to-buy list. Much much better! It's too bad Meat Free Monday came up short for you.
ReplyDeleteIt is really such a smart policy, since I am easily suckered in by great photos, and then later disappointed. It turns out some of the best books I have don't have sumptuous photos -- How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman, Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass (the pressure cooking bible in my home). So maybe that means something!
DeleteGreat review! My husband and I are trying to be vegan for one month just to see if we notice any changes. Three weeks in and we are still going strong! So basically when I saw this title I was intrigued. Glad to know I should move on to other titles.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing the "vegan during the day" thing for about 6 months -- except for a trip to England and Wales, when I found it too hard -- and I've felt great. I think my family would revolt if I tried it for dinner as well -- although I do get in about 2 vegan dinners a week.
DeleteWhy do you suppose when I first saw the title I read it as Me At Free? Do you think it could be because I so need to change my eating habits that the idea of not eating meat wint even register? Of course when I think of the animals I never want to eat meat again! Time to add more fruit and veggies into this girl's diet, which is already plentiful in pasta, butter, bread and chocolate. :)
ReplyDeletePasta, butter, bread and chocolate? You seem to have all the important food groups covered already! I really do notice a difference between "meat" days and "no meat days," in terms of energy -- but also hunger. I need to eat little bits all day long if I'm avoiding meat, cheese and eggs. Some days it works, and some days it doesn't, so I try to be flexible :)
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