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Candle Cafe

Celebratory Menus and Recipes from New York's Premier Plant-Based Restaurants

By Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos, Jorge Pineda 

ISBN: 9781607746478

Publisher:  Ten Speed Press

Publication Date:  Sept 30, 2014

Format:  Other Format

My Rating: 5 Stars

As a vegan for several years, enjoying an organic and plant-based diet and lifestyle, with all the advantages-- I love discovering new sources to expand my culinary skills, as well as innovative menus and recipes for delectable tasteful dishes and pairings. 

VEGAN HOLIDAY COOKING FROM CANDLE CAFÉ is beautifully packaged, with a stunning presentation of plant-based, fresh, and creative holiday recipes from the renowned Candle Café, New York’s Premier Plant-Based Restaurants. 

This book is packed with rich and delicious holiday food, full of scrumptious flavor- benefiting the body, mind, and the soul! A gorgeous book, guaranteed to WOW the vegan enthusiasts, and even those who are not yet vegan; offering choices for the traditional holiday family gatherings. 

Holidays do not have to be a time of over-indulging, when there are other alternatives. We do not have to sacrifice taste, as we feed our souls with deliciously designed entrees, desserts, and cocktails.

VEGAN HOLIDAY COOKING FROM CANDLE CAFÉ is an ideal gift selection for your vegan friends, who enjoy entertaining and living well. 

In addition to choosing the vegan lifestyle, I love design, food styling, and photography, as you can see by my Pinterest boards, and working in the hospitality industry. (Wish I could pin these-especially, Lady Day). 

As an avid reader of primarily, fiction--in order for non-fiction or a cookbook to entice me, I need high-resolution imagery. WOW, this holiday charmer does not disappoint! Stunning Photography by Jim Franco.

I have tried a few of the recipes (a few favorites: loved the quinoa vegetable cakes, the mojo de ajo seitan with grilled peaches, roasted squash soup with almond cream and spiced pumpkin seeds, roasted brussels sprout salad with apples, cranberries, and maple-cayenne dressing, and the decadent warm apple turnovers and champagne ice cream) --- an array of indulgent, yet healthy food. Cannot wait to try them all - YUM! 

Packed with ten tantalizing, mouth-watering, and inventive menus for your Super Bowl Party, Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, Passover, Easter Brunch, Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, 4th of July Backyard Barbeque, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve--- from the highly talented cast of the Candle trio of restaurants (Candle Café, Candle 79, and Candle Café West).

Readers will be swept away for a magical journey from this talented-winning team of chefs. They definitely know how to throw a party and pros, when it comes to entertaining and presentation. These special-occasion favorites from acclaimed vegan restaurants, are tailored for the home table, with main entrees, sides, and delightful wine and cocktail pairings.

Their commitment and passion for sustainability and healing the planet with food and love, is reflective throughout the pages of this beautiful book, you will treasurer for years to come! Equipped with a helpful resource guide, acknowledgements, and more about the authors. 

Relax, pour yourself a drink, and savor page after page of deliciously designed recipes, making you the perfect host and hostess!  Highly Recommend.

A special thanks to Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

About the Authors: 

JOY PIERSON is co-owner of the Candle Cafe, Candle Cafe West, and Candle 79, and coauthor of The Candle Cafe Cookbook and Candle 79 Cookbook. Certified in nutritional counseling, Joy has appeared on the Today show, Good Day New York, CBS News This Morning, The Food Network's TV Food Diners, and NPR. 

ANGEL RAMOS is executive chef at Candle 79 and Candle Café West. His recipes have been featured in the New York Times and Vegetarian Times, and he helped develop the nationally distributed Candle Café Frozen Entrees line. In 2010, Angel was named the VegNews Chef of the Year. Pastry chef and kitchen manager 

JORGE PINEDA developed the nationally distributed Candle Café Desserts and Candle Chef's Cuisine for Whole Foods Markets, and his pastries have been deemed the "Best Vegan Desserts in America" by the Los Angeles Times.