Joy Pierson - Candle 79 Cookbook: Modern Vegan Classics from New Yorks Premier Sustainable Restaurant

Copyright 2011 by Candle Family Foods, LLC
Photographs copyright 2011 by Rita Maas
Foreword copyright 2011 by Rory Freedman

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com

Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Pierson, Joy.
The Candle 79 cookbook : modern vegan classics from New Yorks premier sustainable restaurant / Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos, and Jorge Pineda ; foreword by Rory Freedman. 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
Summary: The Candle 79 restaurant expands the horizons of vegan cuisine with more than 100 healthy, plant-based recipes that are also flavorful and sophisticated, for conscientious home cooksProvided by publisher.
1. Vegan cooking. 2. Candle 79 (Restaurant) 3. Cookbooks. I. Ramos, Angel, 1976
II. Pineda, Jorge. III. Title.
TX837.P52928 2011
641.5636dc23
2011014509

eISBN: 978-1-60774-073-5

Prop styling by Lynda White

Author photographs copyright Eric Marseglia
Vineyard photograph copyright Heller Estates, Inc.

v3.1

In celebration of Jesus Ramos,
Petrona Pineda, Anne Pierson,
Jane Erdman, Minerva Felenstein,
and Ann Marie Chiappetta,
who taught us that food is love.

When I first went vegetarian, then vegan, I did so begrudgingly. Eating is my favorite thing to do above all else; I did not want to forgo any earthly pleasures. But when I made the connectionanimal products equal crueltyI vowed never to contribute to the suffering of animals again. And at first, kicking my meat, cheese, and egg addictions was a challenge. And at times, it felt like a sacrifice.

I had been vegetarian for ten years, and was newly vegan, when I first set foot inside the sanctum of Candle 79. It was literally like nothing I had ever experienced. There were no sacrifices here! This was upscale fare, as indulgent as anything Id eaten as a meathead. Chimichurris, seitan piccata, risotto, raviolito this day, every time I go to the restaurant, I lose my mind. Im a foodie. I want every meal I eat to be orgasmic. Candle 79 has never disappointed.

Chefs Angel and Jorge are geniuses who somehow achieve the impossibleeverything is really hearty, hale, and decadent, but also really light and fresh. I know part of that has to do with the seasonal, local, organic produce they use. Another element is magic. Sheer magic. The final component is pretty simple: They all care. Owners Joy and Bart want to feed us the best meals possible, made from the best stuff possible, while being as conscientious and eco-minded as possible.

Their love is evident everywhere in the restaurant. Theres no pretension or stuffiness despite the opulent decor, perfect presentation, and impeccable service. Joy and Bart did more than create a haven for foodiesthey created a community. Their staff is their family. And their clientele is comprised of everyonepower brokers, punk rockers, doctors, lawyers, yogis, celebrities, everyone in between, and even restaurateurs and top chefs. Not only do we want their food, we also want what they have. We want that spark, spirit, and love.

This book is so clearly a labor of love. Every single recipe is mouth-watering. And they all reflect what Bart and Joy set out to do with their restaurants: They show us that we can eat amazing food, take excellent care of our bodies, and respect Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. And that none of that ever means having to sacrifice anything. This cookbook is a celebration. A celebration of what vegan cuisine can and should be.

When Joy and Bart decided to share their passion for vegan food with the world, they won $53,000 in the New York Lottery, which helped them get started. One of their favorite mottos (paraphrased from Goethe) sums it up perfectly: When you commit, providence will provide. So whether you want to spare animals, save the planet, better your health, or just enjoy great food, somehow your path led you here, to this book.

For me, veganism is the perfect expression of all those things. Its the doorway to better everything: Health, energy, longevity, compassion, consciousness, and connectedness. Mind, body, spirit, and the best food on the planet. Veganism really is a noble pursuit. (Except for the part where youre constantly mowing down food in a breathless state of gluttony. Thats not noble, its just a bonus.) Being vegan is what Im most proud of. And to contribute to this book is such an honor.

About two years after Candle 79 opened, I moved to the West Coast, three thousand miles away from the beloved mecca. So this cookbook makes my soul sing. Its a cornucopia of epic proportions and excitement. And its an extension of the generosity that abounds at the restaurantthe notion that good, healthy food should be lavished on everyone, and that every bite should taste absolutely divine. Joy, Angel, and Jorge have poured their beautiful, kind, committed hearts into this book. They leave nothing to be desired. Its all here.

Im committed to feasting on every single recipe in this book. And providence has provided me with friends who are as enthusiastic about food as I am. I foresee many Candle 79 potlucks in my immediate future. And Im struck by how the spirit and abundance of Candle 79 continues to grow.