The original Moosewood cookbook and its sequel, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Molly Katzen are, IMHO, the best vegetarian cookbooks ever. And they're so incredibly beautiful to look through! I'm actually shocked neither is on the above lists.

I have a pretty comprehensive vegetarian cookbook library & agree with ilovebutter, although I use the original "Moosewood" far more than any of its sequels. I would add "The Passionate Vegetarian" by Dragonwagon, "Roger Vergé's Vegetables in the French Style", "Simply Heavenly" by Abbot George Burke, "the Bold Vegetarian Chef" by Ken Charney and my all-time fave: "Cabbagetown Cafe Cookbook" by Julie Jordan. The only one of the ones mentioned in the blog I've owned is "The Vegetarian Epicure", which I donated to a book sale because I never used a recipe from it.

The vegetarian cookbooks I use most often are the Bittman and Vegan with a Vengeance and Veganomicon. I always hear good things about that Madhur Jaffrey cookbook though. I think I'll have to add it to my want list.

I have two of Anna Thomas' books and love them - I am not vegetarian but they are just plain good food books. What a treat to see them here.

Forgot to mention that Anna Thomas' receipe for creme caramel (she calls it flan) is wonderful.

I particularly like the classic "Laurel's Kitchen," perhaps because it is the first vegetarian cookbook I owned. I have the updated "recipes" version and still use it.

I, too, am shocked at the omission of any of the Moosewood cookbooks. And I'm also a little shocked to see The Savory Way in a "vintage" article. Oy, am I that old? When I think of it further, however, I am even more impressed with Madison's culinary vision, for there are recipes in The Savory Way (and in VCE) that are still fresh and innovative today. And it was published (sigh) 18 years ago!

I've been a vegetarian for 27 years, so I've owned most of the "vintage" books for...ever. God I'm old. My first cookbooks are freaking "vintage!?" Laurel's Kitchen isn't really much of cookbook, imo--they had some serious garlic fear, those ladies--but it was a huge help to me once upon a time nevertheless. Still making the Tennessee Corn Pone, though!

The only one I'm still cooking with/consulting is Madhur Jeffrey's World of the East. That book has some of the best-tested recipes ever. I have often made something from that book that is truly new to me and I have no clue about, and the recipe has worked every time. Follow the directions and you will get food. This was Not True of so many Indian vegetarian cookbooks written by stoned hippies once upon a time. I'm so glad to see it on the list!

I love the vegetarian epicure. The cauliflower curry is really good - and the shortbread cookies. Yum!

I have The Vegetarian Epicure, Book 2! It's great. I'm not a vegetarian, but it's a very good cookbook. I also have Jaffrey's World of the East, which is fabulous - I love making my own pita bread.

I'm also surprised that they don't have any Mollie Katzen/Moosewood books in this list. Sundays @ Moosewood is one of my faves.

I used to be all about the Moosewood books, but I have to say since I got the Bittman book that's pretty much all I turn to.

Veganomicon is really new (and reviewed in the April Saveur) but it's a pretty extraordinary work, in my opinion.

Molllie Katzen herself chuckles when referring to the early Moosewood books for their "over use" (my term) of butter and cheese. She became daring enough to let veg's and grains shine on their own with her most recent books. For my money, Madison and Bittman are the standards, and I'll spend time looking at any "ethnic" cookbook to learn more about spicing and ingredients.

Interesting to find this photo here - I picked up this book at an International Festival last weekend in Brussels. I have only flicked through it very quickly - a lot of satisfying recipes that are ripe for veganzing. One thing I did note was a very different tone to the writing. It felt less stylized, and much more natural. I thought about this and decided that this had less to do with it being 'veg' (aka hippie) cooking and more to do with the intent of the cookbook, compared specifically with what cookbooks have become - that sounds judgemental, but it isn't. An observation of trends.

www.vegancowgirl.blogspot.com

One of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks is "The Vegetarian Planet" by Didi Emmons. So many good recipes in there.

Entertaining Vegetarians by Celia Brooks Brown and Cook 1.0 by Heidi S (who has the blog 101cookbooks) are the books I refer to most often.

Nobody has mentioned Tassajara Cooking by Edward Espe Brown? It is a very simple cookbook, but really teaches you how to cook along the way rather than giving elaborate, complicated recipes with esoteric ingredients. I highly recommend this book!

He also has a book about baking bread called "The Tassajara Bread Book" and two more "gourmet" cookbooks called "The Tassajara Recipe Book" and "Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings".

He was one of the founders for Greens Restaurant and is a long time Vipassana Buddhism follower. Check him out if you aren't familiar!

Hey thanks everyone - I've just requested 5 books from my local library to give them a try.

Thinking about those lemon puddings made me think about a fantastic lemon souffle I made I liked to make in the 80' s and seeing this cookbook made me remember where the recipe is, page 278. A friend said it "tastes like spring." It works for a dairy passover too.

Mmmmm...Fast Vegetarian Feasts by Martha Rose Shulman is a longtime favorite.

I'm excited to try some of the books mentioned by others for some new ideas! Thanks for this great thread! Ok, this is not as fancy as other people's choices but I've been cooking vegetarian for the last 5 years for my husband and I use this book all the time - "Betty Crocker's Vegetarian Cooking: Easy Meatless Main Dishes Your Family Will Love!" (1998 edition). I'm always looking for fast recipes that are yummy and use items that I have on hand so this book works great for me.