The Candle Cafe Cookbook: More Than 150 Enlightened Recipes from New York's Renowned Vegan Restaurant

by Joy Pierson, Barbara Scott-Goodman

It's hard enough to satisfy choosy diners at a hot New York restaurant—imagine having to do it without using meat, fish, dairy, or eggs! The Candle Cafe has been doing just that for years, offering vegan food that has earned the praise of food critics, celebrities, and countless New Yorkers.

The food at the Candle Cafe expands the horizons of vegan cuisine, proving that the healthiest food can also be the most flavorful and satisfying. From delectable appetizers like Quesadillas stuffed with Portobellos and Red Peppers and Tofu Satay with Coconut-Peanut Sauce to classic dips like Hummus and Babaganoush, veggan cooking never tasted this good. Even the soups are special—Spring Vegetable Minestrone Soup is filled with fresh flavor, and Butternut Squash Soup gets a kick from toasted pumpkin seeds. Hearty, satisfying sandwiches and main courses like Barbecued Tempeh-Chipotle Burgers with Grilled Pineapple, Porcini Mushroom Stroganoff, and Indian Eggplant Curry are infused with delicious flavors from around the world. For dessert, treats like Chocolate Mousse Pie and Lemon-Tofu Cheesecake with Blood Orange Glaze are creamy and indulgent.

With helpful tips on cooking beans and grains, a full glossary of ingredients, and plenty of color photographs, The Candle Cafe Cookbook is a treasure trove of vegan recipes that have been drawing crowds and raves for years.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Vegan, Nonfiction, Vegetarian

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 22, 2003

Reviews

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Candle Cafe is known for its amazing cuisine, and I thought I would get a strong sense of that in their book. One on hand, I did -- there are a lot of food and meal options, all of which are exciting. That said, not only do I have a hard time recreating their flavors at home, their recipes require a lot of prep time. I was also disappointed by the number of entrees and main dishes that require maple syrup and sugar. I'm not a big fan of the "all American" food tradition of sweetening savory foods, and so it was hard to wrap my mouth around some of these meals. That said, their soups, appetizers, and dessert sections are amazing. To be honest, I'm more likely to stop by the restaurant than to try to capture their cooking.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never made anything from this cookbook as I am not sufficiently motivated to tackle complex recipes. But I enjoy reading the book, and I can tell I’d enjoy much of the food. I haven’t visited New York since I was 19, which was before I was either vegetarian or vegan; there are so many vegan/vegetarian restaurants I want to dine at in New York city, and the Candle Café/Candle 79 are at the top of my list. I love having restaurant cookbooks: they give me access to dishes from restaurants I can’t get to, or in the event (which happens all too frequently) some of my favorite restaurants close. Even if I don’t actually make the food, I know that I have that option.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with Nate. The Candle Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants in the world, but there is a reason I like to go there in person rather than try to recreate their cuisine at home. It is definitely time-consuming. That being said, I have learned a lot from this book and do use it as a reference as I cook 90% vegetarian at home and there is nothing better in vegetarian cooking than to have lots of tricks to make the cuisine more interesting!

[Nate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Candle 79 is probably the best restaurant (anywhere, ever), but the recipes are

1) way too time-intensive;
2) unreliable; and
3) filled with annoying ingredients.

There are a few amazing ones; the seitan steaks can't be beat. But most of it ... Don't pay $20 for 'stupid things to do with phyllo dough' or a tapenade recipe that could be condensed into 3 lines.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the resturant more than this cook book. The recipes are a little complicated and several of them have amounts that just don't work...l don't remember which one but one called for way too much pepper. As with all recipes, remember to taste and I would recommend adding ingredients little by little so you don't over do it.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recipes LOOK good, but when you make them... meh. There were some great recipes (Vegan Sour Cream was num nums) but the split pea soup and the Lentil Chowder were HUGE disappointments (ie. they tasted like water). I've tried about 15 recipes, and only 3 were good. They are accesible, though, and generally easy to prepare.

[Chelka Posladek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is worth the read if only for the carrot cake recipe. I also adore the chocolate ganache frosting. Unsurprisingly, I prefer the dessert section of the book...but the whole thing is pretty tasty.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

We learned of this book just a couple months ago and were quickly prompted to ask for it for a bday gift...then we got it...now we love it... How come I'd never heard of the Candle Cafe before? The book - and presumably the cafe - is fantastic.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the upfront of this book that shares the history of the cookbook. I read the cookbook cover to cover and just need to aquire some of the ingredients, and then I'll be on my way to cooking my way through the cookbook.

[Kalliope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this cookbook because it has the ultimatismo chocolate ganache cake lovers supreme recipe and is excellent to read right before bed

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

man i love this place and the cookbook makes me less sad that i don't live in nyc anymore. although my versions aren't as delicious, they come pretty darn close.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I cook in this vegan cookbook comes out tasting fantastic

[Martha Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to adjust all the recipes to exclude nuts, oils, salt and extra sugars. But as gourmet vegan cookbooks go this one is great. I have added two dozen adjusted recipes to my recipe box.

[Kerri]

I liked the following recipes:
- Creamy Broccoli Soup - delicious!
- Lentil Chowder
- Sweet Corn Chowder

[Michelecislo · Rating 5 out of 5]

great recipes- just like the fabulous NYC restaurant by the same name. Love the dumpling recipe and carrot cake is wonderful!

[Czarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Every recipe I made from this book was easy and delicious! This cookbook is a keeper.