The Spirited Vegetarian - Tapa blanda

With the simple addition of a splash of wine or spirits, meatless dishes take on a new dimension of flavour. Apple Salad springs to life with a Creamy Ale Dressing. Saffron Risotto is especially aromatic when served with vegetables in a Chardonnay sauce. "The Spirited Vegetarian" offers a totally different and unique approach to vegetarian cooking, demonstrating through over 100 tantalizing recipes how the innovative cook can use wine and spirits to prepare meatless cuisine with sophistication and style. Well-known cookbook author Paulette Mitchell draws on classic recipes as well as her own contemporary creations as she serves up entrees that range from hearty Roasted Vegetables with Polenta Triangles and Sangiovese Tomato Sauce to a puffy Gruyere Souffle with Wild Mushroom Sauce. Chilled Champagne- Melon Soup is a refreshing addition to a sizzling summer brunch; Fennel Vegetable Soup with Sherried Mushrooms is sure to satisfy on a frosty night; and the adventurous cook looking to impress guests can finish off a meal with a stunning finale of flaming Cherries Jubilee or Salame Dolce, a rich Kahlua flavoured chocolate log that resembles salami.

PAULETTE MITCHELL, is known internationally for her gourmet vegetarian recipes. She is a cooking instructor, lecturer, television personality, and the author of 11 popular cookbooks, including A Beautiful Bowl of Soup and The 15-Minute Gourmet: Vegetarian. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota and travels widely for culinary inspiration.