THE SAVORY WAY
My Description
When The Greens Cookbook came out in l986, I went on a cross-country media tour. I was dismayed to find that the rest of the country was not like California. Humbled by what I saw, or didn't see in the way of produce, I decided to make an experiment of my life. I moved to Flagstaff Arizona, a small town without much in the way of good food. (It is changing. There's now a short-season farmers' market there.) I taught classes in my home, and then started to write (and cook) as a home cook, not as a chef. My challenges were several: to create high-flavor recipes that could be prepared in a reasonable amount of time (suitable for families) from limited local resources (like Flagstaff’s), and to figure out ways to source better ingredients than those offered by the supermarket. I still wanted to have the same bright flavors I had discovered with The Greens Cookbook, but without the reliance on ingredients or a restaurant staff.
The Savory Way is entirely vegetable-based, but I was reluctant to call it vegetarian, because I like to think that everyone eats vegetables, not just vegetarians. And I like to think of food as inclusive, not exclusive. Nonetheless, while I was on tour, a man ran up to me and said "I saw you on TV. Your recipes look just wonderful, but unfortunately, I'm not a vegetarian!" I guess you can’t win for losing.
The Savory Way was awarded Best General Cookbook by the IACP, and was recipient of the Julia Child Cookbook of the Year Award.
What Others Say
"The Savory Way represents the most complete and delicious introduction to a new kind of cooking in this country—one that begins with the garden—its freshness, flavors and seasons. We have a new Joy of Cooking here."
—Alice Waters, chef and owner of Chez Panisse Restaurant
"I don't know which is more satisfying, Deborah's cuisine or her writing. Her work is a rare combination of elegant and intuitive: she lifts meatless cookery to new vistas, yet keeps it practical and accessible. I love her spirit and her sensibility, and I love what she does with her gifts. This book is an inspiration."
—Mollie Katzen, author of Moosewood Cookbook
"Deborah never disappoints—everything works just as she says it will, to produce a dish that's the essence of simple goodness."
—Marion Cunningham, author of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
"I have yet to try a recipe from The Savory Way that doesn't work or that isn't delicious. I have used many recipes for the first time for important dinner parties without a second thought."
—A fan in Milwaukee
