BY MARINA TAYLOR
Pot-lucky Pleasers
Easy breezy parties, vegetarian style.
ENTERTAINING FOR A VEGGIE
PLANET, 250 DOWN-TO-EARTH
RECIPES , by Didi Emmons. Houghton Mifflin Company,
2003. $18.95, paperback.
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30 JUNE 26, 2003
T
his new manual written by Didi
Emmons is filled with inspiration for
the sometimes shaky process of en-
tertaining at home. More than just a vegetar-
ian cookbook, it stands out as a how-to for
throwing a party with confidence, be it an in-
expensive wedding for 50 or a gourmet
omelet brunch for six. One section, called
“Communal casseroles, lasagnas, chilies,
stews and savory pies,” focuses entirely on
handy, portable and filling potluck dishes.
Another section, “Nibbles and Drinks,” is
filled with fascinating dips, like the Ruby
Walnut Dip with Artichokes or the Sweet
Potato-Black Bean Salsa, and things to ac-
company them. (The Parmesan-Caraway
Crackers are next on my list of things to try.)
Every recipe comes with directions and
clues on how far in advance you can prepare
it, and how best to store it. Filling in the pages
are also hints from Emmons and her friends
on things that worked to make a party, or a
particular dish, a success: low lighting to
make strangers feel more intimate, five rules
for making vegetarian chili, an exotic peanut
butter and jelly sandwich party with fresh
fruits and all kinds of nut butters, at-home po-
etry readings and more. Emmons is chef at
Veggie Planet in Cambridge, Mass., and has
written the good, creative veggie cookbook,
Vegetarian Planet, as well.
Eugeneans will get a chance to meet the
author and sample some of the dishes at 5:30
pm Monday, June 30th at Marché restaurant.
Marché will be preparing and serving a five-
course tasting menu with recipes from the
book, with Emmons available to sign books.
The cost of the meal is $32 per person with $5
going to the School Garden Project. Call
342-3612 for more information and reserva-
tions.
Melon Sago (Tapioca)
3/4 c. small pearl tapioca
1/2 very ripe cantaloupe or honeydew
melon, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4
inch cubes
1 c. unsweetened coconut milk
1 c. plus 2 Tbs. sugar
Juice of one lime or lemon
Mint leaves for garnish, optional
In a large bowl, soak the tapioca in two
cups cool water for 15 minutes. Drain
through a fine-meshed sieve. Meanwhile in a
blender or food processor, puree half of the
melon cubes and transfer to a large bowl,
along with the remaining melon cubes and
the coconut milk.
In a medium saucepan, bring three cups of
water to a boil. Add the tapioca and cook until
there is only a faint white dot left in the center
of each tapioca pearl, about five minutes. (To
check, taste one of the pearls; it should be
soft, not crunchy.) Remove from heat and add
the sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Add the tapioca mixture to the melon
mixture and stir well. Taste the pudding and
add enough lime or lemon juice to balance
the flavors. Pour into a serving bowl or six in-
dividual cups and chill until the sago is cold,
about two hours. The consistency should be
like that of fruited yogurt. Garnish with the
mint leaves, if desired, before serving.
More at Marché:
A couple other events look noteworthy at
Marché in the coming weeks. A prix fix meal
featuring Languedoc-Roussillon’s cuisine
and wines is on Wednesday, June 25th, seat-
ing beginning at 5:30, price $35 per person.
And on Wednesday, July 9 the staff will
recreate the meal Stephanie Pearl-Kimmel
and Rocky Masselli will prepare at the invita-
tional James Beard House event later in July.
The menu is quite extravagant and should be
something special. The price is $100 per per-
son, including wine and live entertainment by
the staff of Marché. Call 342-3612 for reser-
vations.
The al Fresco market at the Fifth Street
Public Market has already begun, featuring
fresh produce from local farms like
Haybales!, Riverbend and Sweetbriar, local
wines, mushrooms and gourmet Oregon-
made cheeses, and Pearl-Kimmel’s own line
of vinegars and gourmet jams. The market
will be open from 10 am to 4 pm every
Wednesday through October.
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