From Library Journal
Garden Way's Zucchini Cookbook was first published in 1990 and revised in 1997. This latest edition, retitled and revised by prolific cookbook author Andrea Chesman (The Vegetarian Grill, etc.), includes 90 new recipes, and many of the older ones have been reworked; there are also new boxes and sidebars. As most gardeners know, a glut of zucchini is a common problem (Chesman quotes one grower who suggests discovering a way to dry out the squash and use it as firewood), and appealing recipes using the vegetable are always welcome. Chesman also includes recipes made with winter squashes as well as pattypan, chayote, and other summer squashes. For most collections. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gardeners, especially beginners, frequently end up with bumper crops of zucchini. These vines are easy to grow, look beautiful as they blossom, and, if the weather is favorable, they produce bushels of squash. Now in its third edition, The Classic Zucchini Cookbook has proved a particular boon to those who can't just give away all those summer vegetables. Not restricting themselves solely to zucchini, authors Nancy C. Ralston, Marynor Jordan, and Andrea Chesman show the versatility of virtually all varieties of squashes in appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, desserts, and baking. They are careful to appeal to both grown-ups' and kids' tastes with a penne casserole with cheese and zucchini. Their soups, whether hot and spicy or cold and curried, also appeal to a broad audience. There are plenty of squash-based desserts as well: cookies, cakes, and pumpkin pie. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Revised and updated, The Classic Zucchini Cookbook is like a new book -weighted to the way we eat today, and with a completely reworked format and design. Ninety new recipes have been added, and the existing recipes have been revamped. All-new illustrations have been added. Hundreds of boxes on zucchini and squash varieties; grower profiles; advice on how to select, store, clean, and preserve; fun zucchini lore and facts; and even information on zucchini festivals has been included. What hasn't changed is the core of inspiring, practical, and creative ways to use zucchini - and summer squash, crookneck squash, patty pan squash, and winter squash - in a variety of dishes. The result is a zucchini extravaganza of 225 easy-to-make, through-the-menu recipes. Full of sweet succulence, toothsome crunch, healthful fiber, and delicate flavors, zucchini offers the home cook a wide range of possibilities. Here are finger foods: Spicy Pepitas and Curried Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. Salads: Mexican Zucchini Shrimp Salad and Avocado Salad in Zucchini Boats. EntrTes: Baked Penne with Summer Squash and Mushrooms and Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash. Breads: Classic Zucchini Bread and Apple-Carrot-Zucchini Muffins. Desserts: Pumpkin Chiffon Pie and Deep, Dark Zucchini Chocolate Cake. So squash your misconceptions. No one at the table will ever complain, "What? Zucchini again?"


About the Author
Andrea Chesman, author of 12 cookbooks, has completely revised and edited this classic work. Her recent book The Vegetarian Grill was a James Beard Cookbook award nominee and recipient of a NBBQA Award of Excellence. Chesman has written articles for Fine Cooking, Food & Wine, New England Monthly, and the New York Times and was the Contributing Food Editor for Vermont Life magazine. She lives in Ripton, Vermont. Nancy C. Ralston and Marynor Jordan are the authors of the Country Sampler column in the Bloomington Herald Times. They live on a 104-acre farm in southern Indiana, where they grow their own food, including lots of zucchini, of course.


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chilled Zucchini Mint Soup The bright green color is part of what makes this soup so appealing and refreshing. It must be eaten the day it is prepared, or the color will be lost. 1 tablespoon butter
1 cup diced onion
4 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs of mint to garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sautT until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. 2. Add the zucchini and broth. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the zucchini is soft. 3. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Process the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the chopped mint and salt; process just to mix. 4. Pour the soup into a large bowl; stir in the buttermilk. Chill the soup, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours. 5. Serve chilled, garnished with sprigs of mint. Serves 6-8Crumb Crusted Zucchini Quiche If you don't have refrigerated pie pastry on hand and you don't want to make pastry for a quiche from scratch, consider this recipe, which replaces the pastry with a layer of crumbs. Crumbs made from good bakery or homemade bread will be superior to those of most store brands. 1 medium-sized zucchini, very thinly sliced
Salt
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
1. If you have the time (see page 147), combine the zucchini and teaspoon salt in a colander. Toss to mix and set aside to drain for 30 minutes. 2. Preheat the oven to 350ªF. 3. Butter a 9-inch quiche dish or pie pan. Coat with the bread crumbs, distributing them as evenly as possible. 4. Wrap the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and wring dry. 5. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and sautT until tender crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and blot dry. 6. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a thick paste. Stir in the milk and cook until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. 7. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add about 1/2 cup of the sauce to warm the eggs, and then pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Stir in the cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the zucchini. 8. Carefully ladle the zucchini mixture into the prepared pie pan. 9. Bake for 35 minutes, until just set. 10. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4-6Low Fat Zucchini Frittata There's room in every diet for a vegetable-rich egg dish. Here most of the fat is eliminated, but not the flavor. 1 egg
5 egg whites
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Olive oil cooking spray
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced scallions, white and tender green parts
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated skim-milk mozzarella
1. Preheat the oven to 350ªF. Coat a 1-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In a small mixing bowl, beat the whole egg and the egg whites until blended. Beat in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, black pepper, and salt to taste. 3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, scallions, and garlic. SautT until the mushrooms have given up their juice, 5 to 8 minutes. 4. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the eggs. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. 5. Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until the eggs are set. 6. Sprinkle the mozzarella on top. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. 7. Slice the frittata into wedges or squares and serve hot. Serves 3

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Revised and updated, The Classic Zucchini Cookbook is like a new book -weighted to the way we eat today, and with a completely reworked format and design. Ninety new recipes have been added, and the existing recipes have been revamped. All-new illustrations have been added. Hundreds of boxes on zucchini and squash varieties; grower profiles; advice on how to select, store, clean, and preserve; fun zucchini lore and facts; and even information on zucchini festivals has been included. What hasn't changed is the core of inspiring, practical, and creative ways to use zucchini - and summer squash, crookneck squash, patty pan squash, and winter squash - in a variety of dishes. The result is a zucchini extravaganza of 225 easy-to-make, through-the-menu recipes.

Full of sweet succulence, toothsome crunch, healthful fiber, and delicate flavors, zucchini offers the home cook a wide range of possibilities. Here are finger foods: Spicy Pepitas and Curried Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. Salads: Mexican Zucchini Shrimp Salad and Avocado Salad in Zucchini Boats. Entr￯﾿ﾽes: Baked Penne with Summer Squash and Mushrooms and Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash. Breads: Classic Zucchini Bread and Apple-Carrot-Zucchini Muffins. Desserts: Pumpkin Chiffon Pie and Deep, Dark Zucchini Chocolate Cake. So squash your misconceptions. No one at the table will ever complain, "What? Zucchini again?"

Author Biography: Andrea Chesman, author of 12 cookbooks, has completely revised and edited this classic work. Her recent book The Vegetarian Grill was a James Beard Cookbook award nominee and recipient of a NBBQA Award of Excellence. Chesman has written articles for Fine Cooking, Food & Wine, New England Monthly, and the New York Times and was the Contributing Food Editor for Vermont Life magazine. She lives in Ripton, Vermont.

Nancy C. Ralston and Marynor Jordan are the authors of the Country Sampler column in the Bloomington Herald Times. They live on a 104-acre farm in southern Indiana, where they grow their own food, including lots of zucchini, of course.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal