3 Bowls: Vegetarian Recipes from an American Zen Buddhist Monastery – Deftly Creative Specialties, Simple to Prepare

by Edward Farrey, Nancy O'Hara

3 BOWLS presents the outstanding vegetarian specialties that draw thousands of visitors each year to Dai Bosatsu Zendo, a traditional Zen monastery in New York's Catskill Mountains. From Sesame Crepes with Portobello Mushrooms in Port Cream Sauce and Spaghetti with Chipotle and Garlic to Coconut-Pecan Carrot Cake with Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting, these recipes are deftly creative, yet all are simple to prepare.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Zen, Nonfiction, Buddhism, Reference

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2000

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This amazing insight into the kitchen and other workings of a Zen Buddhist monastery in the Catskills of New York is a delightful read even without the recipes. Beautiful calligraphy by Eido T Shimano Roshi highlights main topics that the head chef, Seppo Ed Farrey, discusses throughout the book. Favorite recipes include herbed sesame polenta with roasted vegetables, Japanese style curry and butternut black bean soup. Even though this book is not made to be gluten-free, many of the recipes contain very basic ingredients combined with rice or quinoa and blended with herbs to make for wonderfully flavorful gluten free entrees. Even recipes that do contain some gluten can be altered slightly to fit the Celiac diet.

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful mix of wonderful vegetarian recipes, including background on the recipes coupled with Zen kitchen wisdom. The writing style is straightforward and engaging, and the recipes themselves are simple yet enticing. Ask of that along with a view into life at the monastery.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

really a great book to learn how to cook from, and to return to over and over again. how hard to allow simplicity.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My all time favorite and most used recipe book. A little bit of Zen... a lot of great recipes.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent recipes and attitude.

[Nicholas Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming and useful collection of recipes with a side of Buddhist wisdom. Marked down from five to four stars because of a reliance on some hard-to-source ingredients.

[Jonette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Schezaun green beans recipe is simple and utterly delicious.

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite recipe is Pasta Puttanesca (p.58.)

[Karen]

Do cookbooks count as reading material if you borrow them from the library and have as many piled up on your bedside table as you do on the shelf in your kitchen?

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious, simple hot breakfast cereal recipes.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvelous vegetarian cookbook, featuring recipes from a Zen monastery in upstate NY.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't give it 5 stars because I haven't actually made anything from here yet. From what I've read this book is going to be my new go to for inspiration. Most recipes are already vegan or can easily be modified.

I loved reading about the inner workings of the monastery. I need to go & I'm finding signs everywhere. It's been calling me.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not a vegan cookbook, it's still a very cool book, and recipes like rice porridge and such are worth looking at!

[Ghost of a Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The recipes in this cookbook are 5-star worthy, and so are the notes about life in a Buddhist monastery and Buddhist traditions and beliefs. But I had to deduct a star for one shortcoming: no photos of the finished recipes. Otherwise this is a beautiful and mouthwatering cookbook. I can’t wait to try some of the recipes. I wish I could make them all! It follows the Buddhist tradition of being vegetarian, and many of the recipes are also vegan. Thankfully for me, this tenzo (head cook) doesn’t avoid spicy and highly aromatic ingredients as Buddhist monastery kitchens traditionally do. There is an overall Asian slant, Japanese especially, but with added foodie and multicultural touches and recipes. A few ingredients will be difficult for me to find in my small American town but they add authenticity, and the recipes are worth a bit of extra effort. And there are plenty of recipes that require only easily found ingredients. I’m so glad I got this book, I’m delighted with it!

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book allot of vegan recipes. I made the shiitake soba noodle I was amazed how great the dashi turned out. I only saw one recipe that required Parmesan cheese you can easily find a vegan substitute.