Edward Espe Brown

From master baker, cook, and Zen priest Edward Espe Brown comes a collection of timeless essays on Zen, food, and life itself. Brown was one of the first Westerners to be ordained a priest by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, who had hoped that Zen might be transformed into a vibrant new form in the West. In The Most Important Point, Brown fulfills Suzuki’s wish with 60 essays that are distinctly American yet preserve the roots of traditional Japanese Zen. Drawing from his time in the kitchen and on the cushion, Brown explores a range of topics, from basic sitting practice to making the "perfect" biscuit and much more. "In the words of my teacher," reflects Brown, "the most important point is to find out what is the most important point." Flavored with wise insights and irreverent humor, The Most Important Point brings together a treasury of teachings to inspire your own discovery.

Discover How to Cook—with Your Senses, Your Hands, and Your Heart "Making your love manifest, transforming your spirit, good heart, and able hands into food is a great undertaking," writes renowned chef and Zen priest Edward Espe Brown, "one that will nourish you in the doing, in the offering, and in the eating." With No Recipe: Cooking as Spiritual Practice, Brown beautifully blends expert cooking advice with thoughtful reflections on meaning, joy, and life itself. Reading Brown’s witty and engaging collection of essays is like learning to cook—and meditate—with your own personal chef and Zen teacher. Drawing from a lifetime of experience, he invites us into his home and kitchen to explore how cooking and eating can be paths to awakening. Baking, cutting, chopping, and tasting are not seen as rigid techniques, but as opportunities to find joy and satisfaction in the present moment. "Forget the rules and forget what you’ve been told," teaches Brown. "Discover for yourself by tasting, testing, experimenting, and experiencing." From soil to seed and preparation to plate, No Recipe brings us a collection of timeless teachings on awakening in the sacred space of the kitchen.

California's Tassajara Zen Mountain Center has long been renowned for its gourmet vegetarian cuisine. In this comprehensive guide to the Tassajara way of cooking, the retreat center-spa's most celebrated chef, Edward Espe Brown, presents hundreds of recipes using fresh, whole foods; detailed notes on preparing seasonal ingredients; and, perhaps most important, inspiration for cooking with joyful intention and attention. Presented with humor and warmth, this book is full of insights for living a life that celebrates simple food.

"The Tassajara Bread Book" has been a favorite among renowned chefs and novice bakers alike for more than thirty years. In this deluxe edition, the same gentle, clear instructions and wonderful recipes are presented in a new paperback format with an updated interior design. Deborah Madison, author of "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone," says, "This little book has long been a guide for those who want to bake but don't know where to begin, as well as for those who want to go beyond and discover not just recipes, but bread making itself."

The author introduces a 100 or so vegetarian recipes with charming stories and poems about where they came from, suggestions for how and when to serve them, and precise instructions for making them perfectly.

When it was first issued, Tassajara Cooking became an overnight classic. Ed Brown's recipes for cooking--for learning to appreciate all the steps involved in making a meal, from selecting the ingredients to serving the finished dish--struck a chord with people who care about food and nutrition. This groundbreaking book, in a completely redesigned format, is just as timely and relevant today, more than thirty years later. Brown discusses methods for working with vegetables, grains, beans, dairy products, and fruits; cooking techniques; and suggestions for planning good tasting, nutritious meals, from soups and salads to desserts. Generously seasoned with illustrations that detail every part of the cooking process, Tassajara Cooking is a comprehensive guide to inspired cooking, with joy.