There are just three cookbooks I would not be without: Julia Child's The Way to Cook, Marion Cunningham's The Fannie Farmer Cookbook: Anniversary (my American food staple), and this flawless book by Peter Berley. This book is a beautiful journey into vegetarian cooking that evokes the balance and harmony of a zen garden. Julia Child covers all the basics in her wonderful book. Peter Berley's cooking induces the essential flavors of the vegetarian ingredients in inspired combination.There is a theme in Berley's cooking that I find it hard to describe, a philosophy and sensibility quite different from Deborah Madison or Alice Waters. There is a feeling of pedagogical intimacy that develops with Mr. Berley working through the book. His prose makes the reader feel as if he/she were in in Berley's instructional kitchen. Deborah Maidson has a trove of good recipes; Peter Berley's book has a kind of philosophical/spiritual unity.I had cooked my way through this book for entrees, side dishes, trying this and that [pressure cooker dishes, soups, risottos, curries...] and then low and behold I discover near the back of the book that Peter Berley's bread using the dutch oven method is similar to bread by Ken Forkish [Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza] and Chad Roberson [Tartine Bread]. I didn't think Peter Berley did bread, but he does, and he does it well. The entire book has been a revelation for me.A copy of this book stays out on my countertop at all times because I use it so frequently. I have bought extra copies to give to my friends who ask, "Where did you get this recipe?". I simply cannot say enough good things about this book. Just perfect. Every vegetarian cook should have a copy of this on her/his shelf. The book is a timeless classic.My personal favorite recipe in the book is the winter root vegetable risotto. I don't include the burdock, since I can't get that in the market. Adding a little more turnip and carrot works just fine for me.