A Taste Of Heaven And Earth: 

A Zen Approach To Cooking And Eating

by C. Breslin Beres
Magill Book Reviews
Copyright by Magill Book Reviews

Bettina Vitell is the founder of The Beat'n Path, one of New York's first
natural food restaurants. A Tenzo (head chef) trained at a Zen monastery in
the Catskill Mountains, Vitell views the kitchen as a place of
transformation, "a great workshop." Her book promotes a Zen-based
philosophy about the relationship between good food and good health. The
author's vegetarian dishes, created from uncomplicated recipes that stress
fresh ingredients, reflect Vitell's Zen thinking. Her goal--to present low
dairy, satisfying meatless fare--is deliciously achieved in a blending of
ingredients and flavors that are characteristic of both the East and West.

Vitell has selected a variety of dishes that seem to nurture the soul as
well as the body. Recipes fall into the following areas: soups, pasta and
grains, curries, Mexican tastes, sushi ideas, pizza and vegetable tarts,
vegetable dishes, salads, sauces and salad dressings, breakfast ideas, and
desserts. A sampling of dishes featured includes: Szechuan green beans and
soba noodles, bruschetta with tomato and basil, huevos rancheros, and lemon
tart with berries.

This cookbook includes menu suggestions, a glossary of ingredients, and two
brief essays--one on Zen philosophy and the other on sensory awareness. It
is enhanced with pen-and-ink style illustrations. An excellent feature is
the clearly organized index. A TASTE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH is highly
recommended to any reader interested in expanding their repertoire in and
appreciation of meatless cooking.