It’s surprising to learn that someone who wrote such an important book on vegetarian food actually eats meat – but that was her reason for writing it in the first place.

“As its title suggests, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone was not intended only for vege­tarians […] Most of the time, I happily make a meal from what others place on the side of their plate without even thinking of it as vege­tarian.

“The reason I place myself among the omnivore/locavores is because my food concerns are based on such issues as the variety of the plant or animal I’m eating, how it is raised, where it comes from, if it’s a GMO product, did it live in a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), or was it free to range. I live in the American West. My neighbours are ranchers; I grow vege­tables. We trade with one another, thereby mostly eating foods that come from within a few miles of our homes.”

The recipes – many of which are vegan – are enough to entice this non-vegetarian, too. They include sesame noodles with asparagus tips; goat cheese enchiladas with corn and red mole; turnip and leek gratin with blue cheeses; corn and salsify chowder; red lentil dal with coconut cream; corn custard with Szechuan pepper salt; buckwheat flap­jacks with molasses butter; rice noodles in curry sauce with tempeh; polenta croquettes with tomato sauce; pan-grilled king oyster mushrooms with toasted sesame and chives; and babka with dried cherry-almond filling.