As a child, the only vegetables David Hirsch would get close to were plain corn on the cob and green beans. Who would have guessed he would learn to like kale, jicama, parsnips and just about every other vegetable in the garden, grow up to cook at Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, N.Y. — perhaps the most famous vegetarian restaurant in the country — and co-write a series of successful Moosewood cookbooks?

        Certainly, he never would have predicted it.

        Trained as an architect, Mr. Hirsch tired of his desk job and moved to upstate New York in the early 1970s to join a farming commune. Later, he joined the Moosewood Collective — 19 people who own the restaurant. Since then, he has contributed to all eight of the Moosewood cookbooks and written one on his own — The Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden (Fireside; $16).

        During a visit here earlier this month to teach a vegetarian cooking class and promote the collective's latest book, Moosewood Restaurant New Classics (Potter; $40). Mr. Hirsch met us for lunch (he ordered romaine salad and roasted sea bass) to answer questions about the growing popularity of meatless meals.

        Question: So when you guys started the Moosewood Collective, you were a bunch of hippies, right?

        Answer: Sure, we were hippies. There might be other people who might deny that, but I have no reason to lie about what I am or who I am. In fact, my only regret is I don't have a 401K. But on the other hand, I didn't spend all those hours behind a desk working for a 401K.

        Q: How do we label you now? Are you a vegetarian?

        A: You can call me a vegetarian chef, but I'm not a strict vegetarian. I've been steeped in vegetarian cuisine for 25 years. Nothing needs to be so absolute. I think there are lot of people who share that perspective. . . . If I go to someone's house, to a barbecue, I will eat whatever they have. I'm too much of a hedonist not to.

        Q: Have you been surprised by the success of the restaurant and the cookbooks?

        A: Well, it happened over a number of years, but it is enormously satisfying. We're only half of the rich and famous equation, you know. And we're only famous in very specific circles.

        Q: Why do you think the Moosewood books have been so successful?

        A: The food is good, but it's accessible. We've never approached it from some sort of haute cuisine position. The recipes are well-tested and they work, and people appreciate that. I think we've also introduced some very good ethnic ingredients, and that has helped remove the notion vegetarian food is bland.

        Q: Is it a misconception vegetarian food is bland?

        A: Well, in the early days there was a tendency to go so simple — just beans and rice or rice and vegetables. I have nothing against simple, and sometimes beans and rice can be very delicious. But you have to know how to season it.

        Q: OK. Convince me tofu is something I want to eat.

        A: Think of it as a chameleon. Tofu can assume a wide variety of roles, depending on how you decide to season it. . . . It wants to be seasoned, and since it has so little personality of its own, it's easy to dress up.

        Q: Do you consider what's going on in the country today a vegetarian “movement?”

        A: I can only talk from my personal feelings, but for me it's not a movement. Maybe that's not fair. This is part of my life that's connected to food and how I eat and who I am, but I don't see it as being effective to push people into something they're not ready to be into. That never works.

        The best way to convince people is to show them this is a good way to eat. And whatever progress making that change in their lives would be because they had some example that wasn't truculent and aggressive, it wasn't saying you have to do this because you're immoral. That doesn't necessarily win people over. It can push them away and make them more defensive.

        Q: Why encourage people to eat more vegetarian meals?

        A: Because it tastes good, and because people may feel better after they eat it. There is a political side to it. . . . You can feed a lot more people off the land on a vegetarian diet than you can raising beef cattle. There are real figures and pieces to this argument, but I would rather show by example. I think that's better than hitting people over the head and saying you are bad.

Recipe

        Preparing this homey dish, from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics (Potter; $40), is a friendly and easy way to introduce tofu to your family's diet. The tofu adds protein and calcium, and helps trim fat from the cheesy casserole.

Macaroni & Cheese with Tofu

       
       12 ounces pasta, such as elbows or small shells
       CHEESE SAUCE
       12 ounces low-fat silken tofu
        1/2 cup each: low-fat or skim milk and nonfat plain yogurt
       1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar
        1/4 cup grated Parmesan
        1/2 teaspoon each: minced garlic, salt
       2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
        1/4 teaspoon each: black pepper, turmeric
       Pinch nutmeg
        1/4 cup each: minced onions, chopped parsley
        1/2 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1/4 cup grated cheddar

        Boil pasta in salted water until al dente; drain and set aside. Combine tofu, milk, yogurt, cheese, garlic, salt, mustard, pepper and turmeric in blender or processor; pulse until smooth. Add more salt to taste.

        In large bowl, mix drained pasta with cheese sauce. Stir in minced onions and parsley. Spoon pasta mixture into lightly greased 2-quart baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake covered in 350-degree oven about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes more. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
        Meatless Thanksgiving
        For those looking to share a meatless Thanksgiving, the Cincinnati Vegetarian Resource Group joins EarthSave Cincinnati in hosting a Thanksgiving Potluck Feast 2-6 p.m. Thursday at the Grailville Conference Center, 930 O'Bannonville Road in Loveland. No fee, but bring vegetarian (preferably vegan) dishes to share. 929-2500.

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