I’ve toyed with the idea of going to culinary school for several years now. I’m a total nerd with a love for all things learning (I’d be a professional student if they would pay me to go, and not the other way around), so what better to learn than how to make my favorite tasty treats! Unfortunately, the finances at the present moment allow for little more than a roof over my head, so the thought of culinary school is on the back burner. (Haha! Get it? Back burner! Kitchen humor about culinary school! I’m so funny.) But I won’t let that deter me from learning! No way. I’m taking matters into my own hands. I’m firing up the oven, donning my pretty pink chef’s coat, and homeschooling myself! And I think I may have found the perfect textbook—Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America. Who better to learn from than the masters themselves? If I can’t go to culinary school, I’ll bring culinary school to me!
Showing posts with label Cookbook Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cookbook Review. Show all posts
9.25.2009
Cookbook Review: Baking At Home With the Culinary Institute of America
I’ve toyed with the idea of going to culinary school for several years now. I’m a total nerd with a love for all things learning (I’d be a professional student if they would pay me to go, and not the other way around), so what better to learn than how to make my favorite tasty treats! Unfortunately, the finances at the present moment allow for little more than a roof over my head, so the thought of culinary school is on the back burner. (Haha! Get it? Back burner! Kitchen humor about culinary school! I’m so funny.) But I won’t let that deter me from learning! No way. I’m taking matters into my own hands. I’m firing up the oven, donning my pretty pink chef’s coat, and homeschooling myself! And I think I may have found the perfect textbook—Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America. Who better to learn from than the masters themselves? If I can’t go to culinary school, I’ll bring culinary school to me!
8.31.2009
Cookbook Review: The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook
I'd like to consider myself fairly knowledgeable about food. What constitutes good food. What pairs well with other ingredients to bring out the exquisite natural flavors. Where to find the freshest, purest ingredients. How to prepare, season, and serve fine quality dishes. I'd like to call myself a foodie. Unfortunately, I can't. My knowledge of fine cuisine comes from watching Top Chef and the Food Network, which means my experience in the dining part of the kitchen is practically non-existent. I'm limited to pasta and things from a box. I don't normally even buy real food for my house most of the time. The majority of my grocery bills go to baking supplies. The rest is spent on hot dogs and frozen dinners. Combine that with the fact that I'm one of the world's pickiest eaters, and no one in their right mind could ever consider me a "foodie." (Heck I wouldn't even touch half of what those Top Chefs plate up to serve the judges.)That's why I stick to baking. I understand it, and most importantly, I can eat it! For the same reasons, I find myself reading more baking books than anything else. Once you take out all the things I won't eat from regular cookbooks, there's not much left. (Seriously. It'd take less time for me to tell you what I will eat than what I won't.) I can at least enjoy the majority of baking books. So when I picked up the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I was wrong.
8.20.2009
Cookbook Review: Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook by Martha Stewart
Published November 2005 by Clarkson Potter
ISBN: 9780307236722
List Price: $40.00
416pp
If you’ve even so much as glanced at any of my previous posts, you may have noticed I have an almost unhealthy obsession with Martha Stewart. Practically everything I do has some reference or relation to Martha. It started first with her show, but virtually exploded when I got her Baking Handbook for Christmas from Dani and Kelli. From the moment I laid hands on it, I felt its awesome power. (Okay, not really. But I was really excited about it.) I knew if I used it wisely, great things would come from it. What I didn’t realize was that in time, it would grow to become my Baking Bible.
When I received the Baking Handbook as a gift, I was still a baby in the baking world. My experience was limited to helping my mom bake chocolate chip cookies, where butter was melted in the microwave, then thrown into a bowl with all the other ingredients at the same time, beaten up with a hand mixer, and dropped with a spoon onto what is actually a griddle rather than a cookie sheet. There was no creaming butter and sugar together. No sifting flour. Heck, there wasn’t even accurate measuring of ingredients! No fancy stand mixers or cookie scoops. In other words, we knew practically nothing about the science of baking. It was only months before the holidays that my mom and I got hooked on watching Martha’s daytime show. I was absolutely fascinated by it. With Martha’s guidance, we started actually cooking real meals, not something from a box, and attempting to master the art of baking (along with a whole lot of crafting). It was a huge deal the day my mom brought home our KitchenAid stand mixer. It was the ugliest color on earth—lemon lime—but she got a great deal on it, so who cares! (And a funny side note: the cashier at the store didn’t understand that the sticker on the box that said Lemon Lime meant that was the color. She thought the mixer itself was somehow scented.) When Christmas rolled around, and Dani and Kelli (who will henceforth be known simply as The Girls. Or individually, Girl 1 for Dani and Girl 2 for Kelli.) gave me the Handbook as a gift, it only fueled the fire of my new obsession. I set off to learn everything I could about baking, from the Domestic Goddess herself.
From identifying general baking equipment and giving instructions on basic techniques, to more refined advice for certain types of baking, such as making pastries, the Baking Handbook hones in on the essential information and passes it along in an unobtrusive way. It is perfect for the beginning baker, and even the average baker can learn something from its helpful tips. Going back through it now, I’ve spotted things I didn’t know that could be helpful down the line, like adding a drop of lemon juice to the sugar water when making caramel to keep from having to brush down the sides. Also, with pictures of just about every recipe, if not all (I’m not really going through all 200 to make sure), it’s hard not to drool on the pages as you’re flipping through. Even if you don’t end up using it often (which you will), its gorgeous photography makes it a beautiful book to simply display.
At $40.00, it’s a higher end cookbook, but let me tell you, it’s well worth the investment. There are 200 fantastic recipes in here that are worth every penny. It’s a book I’d definitely suggest to anyone starting out with an interest in becoming a better baker. The recipes are well written and come out fantastic almost every time. I've only made about 10 things so far (*Gasp*! I could have sworn it was more than that! I've still got a lot of work to do!), but all of them have come out pretty well. I have not been let down by anything in this book yet. When you’re just starting out in baking, successful recipes = confident bakers, and Martha’s book helped me learn the fundamental techniques I needed to grow as a baker. Without Martha, you wouldn’t even be reading this review, because there would be no Busty Baker! I don’t think there is a baking cookbook out there right now that I would recommend any more highly than I do this book. Please check it out!
Stand Out Recipes: (This was next to impossible to pick out just a handful of recipes for this list!)
Published November 2005 by Clarkson Potter
ISBN: 9780307236722
List Price: $40.00
416pp
| Rating | (1 = Worst, | 5 = Best) | |
| Presentation |  | Illustrations |  |
| Depth of Information | | Practicality | |
| Value |  | Permanent Library | |
| Gift Giving | | Level of Difficulty | Beginning to Average |
| Overall | |
If you’ve even so much as glanced at any of my previous posts, you may have noticed I have an almost unhealthy obsession with Martha Stewart. Practically everything I do has some reference or relation to Martha. It started first with her show, but virtually exploded when I got her Baking Handbook for Christmas from Dani and Kelli. From the moment I laid hands on it, I felt its awesome power. (Okay, not really. But I was really excited about it.) I knew if I used it wisely, great things would come from it. What I didn’t realize was that in time, it would grow to become my Baking Bible.When I received the Baking Handbook as a gift, I was still a baby in the baking world. My experience was limited to helping my mom bake chocolate chip cookies, where butter was melted in the microwave, then thrown into a bowl with all the other ingredients at the same time, beaten up with a hand mixer, and dropped with a spoon onto what is actually a griddle rather than a cookie sheet. There was no creaming butter and sugar together. No sifting flour. Heck, there wasn’t even accurate measuring of ingredients! No fancy stand mixers or cookie scoops. In other words, we knew practically nothing about the science of baking. It was only months before the holidays that my mom and I got hooked on watching Martha’s daytime show. I was absolutely fascinated by it. With Martha’s guidance, we started actually cooking real meals, not something from a box, and attempting to master the art of baking (along with a whole lot of crafting). It was a huge deal the day my mom brought home our KitchenAid stand mixer. It was the ugliest color on earth—lemon lime—but she got a great deal on it, so who cares! (And a funny side note: the cashier at the store didn’t understand that the sticker on the box that said Lemon Lime meant that was the color. She thought the mixer itself was somehow scented.) When Christmas rolled around, and Dani and Kelli (who will henceforth be known simply as The Girls. Or individually, Girl 1 for Dani and Girl 2 for Kelli.) gave me the Handbook as a gift, it only fueled the fire of my new obsession. I set off to learn everything I could about baking, from the Domestic Goddess herself.
From identifying general baking equipment and giving instructions on basic techniques, to more refined advice for certain types of baking, such as making pastries, the Baking Handbook hones in on the essential information and passes it along in an unobtrusive way. It is perfect for the beginning baker, and even the average baker can learn something from its helpful tips. Going back through it now, I’ve spotted things I didn’t know that could be helpful down the line, like adding a drop of lemon juice to the sugar water when making caramel to keep from having to brush down the sides. Also, with pictures of just about every recipe, if not all (I’m not really going through all 200 to make sure), it’s hard not to drool on the pages as you’re flipping through. Even if you don’t end up using it often (which you will), its gorgeous photography makes it a beautiful book to simply display.
At $40.00, it’s a higher end cookbook, but let me tell you, it’s well worth the investment. There are 200 fantastic recipes in here that are worth every penny. It’s a book I’d definitely suggest to anyone starting out with an interest in becoming a better baker. The recipes are well written and come out fantastic almost every time. I've only made about 10 things so far (*Gasp*! I could have sworn it was more than that! I've still got a lot of work to do!), but all of them have come out pretty well. I have not been let down by anything in this book yet. When you’re just starting out in baking, successful recipes = confident bakers, and Martha’s book helped me learn the fundamental techniques I needed to grow as a baker. Without Martha, you wouldn’t even be reading this review, because there would be no Busty Baker! I don’t think there is a baking cookbook out there right now that I would recommend any more highly than I do this book. Please check it out!
Stand Out Recipes: (This was next to impossible to pick out just a handful of recipes for this list!)
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
- Devil’s Food Cake with Mint-Chocolate Ganache
- Summer Fruit Tart with Lavender Syrup
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Sugar Buns
- Profiteroles
- Lemon-Blueberry Napoleons
- Spicy Cheese Biscuits
- Brown Sugar Pound Cake
8.07.2009
Cookbook Review: Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook by Kathleen King
Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook by Kathleen King
Published in 2005 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 0-312-33417-6
List Price: $24.95
156pp
The first time I saw this book, a customer was buying it at the store where I work. She had me hold on to it while she went back to grab a few more things. The cookies on the front looked so good, I couldn't help but sneak a quick peek inside. I was amazed at how much was packed into this fairly small sized book! The table of contents alone took up 6 pages, with an entire page or more for cookies, pies, and cakes each! There was no way I was going to be able to skim through everything before she came back! Guess I'd have to go pick this one up to check out on my own!
Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook boasts 126 recipes, featuring loads of scones, muffins, cookies, cakes, pies and tarts. There's literally something for everyone here. The author, and owner of Tate's Bake Shop in the Hamptons, Kathleen King is so confident that everyone will be able to use this book, she even says that most of the recipes can be made quicker than it would take for you to go buy its premade counterpart. Now that's making things easy. And honestly, she seems to be right. Nothing in the book looks too terribly difficult. It doesn't seem like there's a single ingredient that you couldn't find in the local grocery, and most you probably already have stocked in your pantry right now. And the recipes themselves? Only 6 out of 126 take up more than a page. Only one, the Raspberry Charlotte, spans 3 pages. Looking for something really simple? There's more than a handful that feature directions in a half a page or less. And these aren't very big pages! (They're smaller than your printer paper by about 2 inches.) Everything about the book is simple, direct, and very laid back. There's no pressure for perfection here. King states in the introduction, "Have fun! Don't take it seriously. If you screw up, don't worry about it--they're only cookies!"
There's even a section called Healthy Alternatives if you're feeling guilty about the glutenous thoughts you're having as you peruse through the book. With recipes for Energy Bars or Whole Wheat Quick Bread, you don't have to feel quite so bad about eating the entire Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie or the whole batch of Beach Brownies (made with a graham cracker crust and topped with marshmallows. Oh man! Maybe the Energy Bars can't quite erase the damage done with those).
As with almost all cookbooks, my main complaint is about pictures. There's only 8! With so many things sounding so good, I want to be able to drool over all of them! Or at least a quarter of them.. The layout is nice and simple, split into different categories such as muffins, cookies, cakes, etc., but it reminds me so much of More From Magnolia by Alyssa Torrey. They look very similar. But it's not really a bad thing. Especially if you're a fan of Magnolia's books.
My other complaint is that most of the recipes call for salted butter rather than unsalted. While the author may be right that weekend bakers tend to keep salted butter stocked in their refrigerator more often, most of us who bake regularly have a good supply of the unsalted variety as well. I actually only have sticks of unsalted butter in my fridge. The only salted I have is in one of those plastic tubs, because I really only use it on toast.
I think this book's great for the beginning to average baking crowd. It's simple yet never seems boring or mundane. It's definitely got that laid back, easy, yet elegant feel the image of the Hamptons evokes in me. (think the Barefoot Contessa on the beach.) So check it out. In the meantime, I'll just be here, baking these fabulous recipes, and waiting patiently for my invitation to dine beach side with the Contessa. Hey Ina--you bring the main dish, I'll bring the desserts, okay?
Stand Out Recipes:
Published in 2005 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 0-312-33417-6
List Price: $24.95
156pp
| Rating | (1 = Worst, | 5 = Best) | |
| Presentation |  | Illustrations |  |
| Depth of Information | | Practicality |  |
| Value | | Permanent Library | |
| Gift Giving | | Level of Difficulty | Beginning to Average |
| Overall | |
The first time I saw this book, a customer was buying it at the store where I work. She had me hold on to it while she went back to grab a few more things. The cookies on the front looked so good, I couldn't help but sneak a quick peek inside. I was amazed at how much was packed into this fairly small sized book! The table of contents alone took up 6 pages, with an entire page or more for cookies, pies, and cakes each! There was no way I was going to be able to skim through everything before she came back! Guess I'd have to go pick this one up to check out on my own!Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook boasts 126 recipes, featuring loads of scones, muffins, cookies, cakes, pies and tarts. There's literally something for everyone here. The author, and owner of Tate's Bake Shop in the Hamptons, Kathleen King is so confident that everyone will be able to use this book, she even says that most of the recipes can be made quicker than it would take for you to go buy its premade counterpart. Now that's making things easy. And honestly, she seems to be right. Nothing in the book looks too terribly difficult. It doesn't seem like there's a single ingredient that you couldn't find in the local grocery, and most you probably already have stocked in your pantry right now. And the recipes themselves? Only 6 out of 126 take up more than a page. Only one, the Raspberry Charlotte, spans 3 pages. Looking for something really simple? There's more than a handful that feature directions in a half a page or less. And these aren't very big pages! (They're smaller than your printer paper by about 2 inches.) Everything about the book is simple, direct, and very laid back. There's no pressure for perfection here. King states in the introduction, "Have fun! Don't take it seriously. If you screw up, don't worry about it--they're only cookies!"
There's even a section called Healthy Alternatives if you're feeling guilty about the glutenous thoughts you're having as you peruse through the book. With recipes for Energy Bars or Whole Wheat Quick Bread, you don't have to feel quite so bad about eating the entire Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie or the whole batch of Beach Brownies (made with a graham cracker crust and topped with marshmallows. Oh man! Maybe the Energy Bars can't quite erase the damage done with those).
As with almost all cookbooks, my main complaint is about pictures. There's only 8! With so many things sounding so good, I want to be able to drool over all of them! Or at least a quarter of them.. The layout is nice and simple, split into different categories such as muffins, cookies, cakes, etc., but it reminds me so much of More From Magnolia by Alyssa Torrey. They look very similar. But it's not really a bad thing. Especially if you're a fan of Magnolia's books.
My other complaint is that most of the recipes call for salted butter rather than unsalted. While the author may be right that weekend bakers tend to keep salted butter stocked in their refrigerator more often, most of us who bake regularly have a good supply of the unsalted variety as well. I actually only have sticks of unsalted butter in my fridge. The only salted I have is in one of those plastic tubs, because I really only use it on toast.
I think this book's great for the beginning to average baking crowd. It's simple yet never seems boring or mundane. It's definitely got that laid back, easy, yet elegant feel the image of the Hamptons evokes in me. (think the Barefoot Contessa on the beach.) So check it out. In the meantime, I'll just be here, baking these fabulous recipes, and waiting patiently for my invitation to dine beach side with the Contessa. Hey Ina--you bring the main dish, I'll bring the desserts, okay?
Stand Out Recipes:
- Orange Poppy Seed Muffins
- Ginger Scones
- Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Peanut Butter Bread
- Double Peanut Chocolate Cookies
- Double Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Beach Brownies
- Peanut Butter Squares
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Chocolate Chip Cake
- Lime Mousse Cake
- Whole Wheat Quick Bread
7.22.2009
Cookbook Review: 125 Best Cupcake Recipes
125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson
Published in 2005 by Robert Rose Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-7788-0112-2
List Price: $19.95
189pp
Boasting 125 recipes, how could you possibly go wrong with this book? The odds of finding at least one that appeals to you are pretty high! I first picked up this book from the library for its French Toast Cupcake recipe to use as the base of my Bacon Cupcakes. I fell in love with it, as well as the Maple Buttercream Frosting recipe it featured. It’s the first buttercream I’ve ever liked! It’s the first I didn’t scrape off before eating because it was too sickening sweet, or because I felt like I was eating a stick of butter! It was even the winning combination for the Best Use of Bacon category at Cupcake Camp! With recipes this good, I had to take a look at the rest of the book while I had it!
Flipping through, I noticed there are not a lot of pictures, just a whole lot of recipes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I like to see what I’m making! But if the rest of the recipes live up to the French Toast standards, then I can overlook the picture issue. The thing I like the most about this book? Almost every recipe has a side note about variations to the recipe. That means there’s WAY more than just 125 recipes here! If you made just one batch of cupcakes each week from this book, between the original recipes and their variations, you’d be baking for roughly a little over 3 and a half years! Mix and match the frosting combinations, and you’re well over 4. I’d say that’s well worth the $19.95 you’d pay for the book.
The recipes are written clearly and are simple enough for the causal weekend baker to master. I didn’t even have to use my mixer for some of the recipes! A lot are even easy enough to bake with kids! (Some aren’t so kid-friendly to eat though. There’s a whole “Adults Only” chapter.) But fear not average to semi-serious bakers! There’s more than just vanilla and chocolate to keep you baking creative and tasty treats. It may even get your creative juices flowing enough to come up with your own variations for even more fun!
I've made a few things out of this book so far. The French Toast Cupcakes were by far my favorite. I've also made the Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes that I thought came out really well (and everyone at work liked them!), as well as the Pink Lemonade Cupcakes, which I made as a Raspberry Lemonade variation, as well as the Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes, also turned into Raspberry Lemon. Both of these variations on the actual recipes didn't turn out all that great for me. They were just alright, but nothing spectacular. That could have just been my choice of variation though, so don't hold those against the book!
I liked this book, and recommend it to anyone looking for a go-to guide for simple yet creative recipes for anything from a birthday party to a bake sale, and even a dinner party! It may lack in pictures, but it more than makes up for it in content. It might not be the book that will transform you into a professional baker, but it’s got enough variety in it to keep you from getting bored! I’ve already renewed this book at the library once, and it’s due back again as we speak—I just don’t want to give it up! It’ll be one I eventually buy for myself, and maybe others too!
Stand-Out Recipes
Published in 2005 by Robert Rose Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-7788-0112-2
List Price: $19.95
189pp
| Rating | (1 = Worst, | 5 = Best) | |
| Presentation | | Illustrations | |
| Depth of Information | | Practicality | |
| Value | | Permanent Library | |
| Gift Giving | | Level of Difficulty | Beginner to Average |
| Overall | |
Boasting 125 recipes, how could you possibly go wrong with this book? The odds of finding at least one that appeals to you are pretty high! I first picked up this book from the library for its French Toast Cupcake recipe to use as the base of my Bacon Cupcakes. I fell in love with it, as well as the Maple Buttercream Frosting recipe it featured. It’s the first buttercream I’ve ever liked! It’s the first I didn’t scrape off before eating because it was too sickening sweet, or because I felt like I was eating a stick of butter! It was even the winning combination for the Best Use of Bacon category at Cupcake Camp! With recipes this good, I had to take a look at the rest of the book while I had it!Flipping through, I noticed there are not a lot of pictures, just a whole lot of recipes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I like to see what I’m making! But if the rest of the recipes live up to the French Toast standards, then I can overlook the picture issue. The thing I like the most about this book? Almost every recipe has a side note about variations to the recipe. That means there’s WAY more than just 125 recipes here! If you made just one batch of cupcakes each week from this book, between the original recipes and their variations, you’d be baking for roughly a little over 3 and a half years! Mix and match the frosting combinations, and you’re well over 4. I’d say that’s well worth the $19.95 you’d pay for the book.
The recipes are written clearly and are simple enough for the causal weekend baker to master. I didn’t even have to use my mixer for some of the recipes! A lot are even easy enough to bake with kids! (Some aren’t so kid-friendly to eat though. There’s a whole “Adults Only” chapter.) But fear not average to semi-serious bakers! There’s more than just vanilla and chocolate to keep you baking creative and tasty treats. It may even get your creative juices flowing enough to come up with your own variations for even more fun!
I've made a few things out of this book so far. The French Toast Cupcakes were by far my favorite. I've also made the Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes that I thought came out really well (and everyone at work liked them!), as well as the Pink Lemonade Cupcakes, which I made as a Raspberry Lemonade variation, as well as the Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes, also turned into Raspberry Lemon. Both of these variations on the actual recipes didn't turn out all that great for me. They were just alright, but nothing spectacular. That could have just been my choice of variation though, so don't hold those against the book!
I liked this book, and recommend it to anyone looking for a go-to guide for simple yet creative recipes for anything from a birthday party to a bake sale, and even a dinner party! It may lack in pictures, but it more than makes up for it in content. It might not be the book that will transform you into a professional baker, but it’s got enough variety in it to keep you from getting bored! I’ve already renewed this book at the library once, and it’s due back again as we speak—I just don’t want to give it up! It’ll be one I eventually buy for myself, and maybe others too!
Stand-Out Recipes
- Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
- Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes
- Kahlua Cupcakes
- Cappuccino Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes
- Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
- Anise Cupcakes
- French Toast Cupcakes
7.07.2009
Guest Cookbook Review: More From Magnolia by Allysa Torey, Review by Kiesha
More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen by Allysa Torey
Published in 2004 by Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 9780743246613
List Price: $27.00
160pp
When I put up my first post about doing cookbook reviews, I asked if anyone had any suggestions of books they wanted to see. Kiesha of 52 Weeks of Baking jumped on it immediately, suggesting her favorite book, More From Magnolia. She loves this book as much as I love Martha! (And that's a whole lot.) I knew the book had some great stuff in it, cause I've tasted most of the stuff Kiesha's brought into work, and they've all been great! (I'm still mad I had food poisoning and called in sick the day she brought in her creation for her very first blog post--Red Velvet Cake! I really wanted to try that one.) So I picked it up at the library with every intention of writing a really great review. But the more I looked through it, the more I felt I couldn't do it justice. It's best to leave it to the experts. So I asked Kiesha if she would like to write a review of it for me. She agreed, so here she is! And check out her blog after you're done for more Magnolia goodies! (And non-Magnolia goodies too! Seriously. You won't be disappointed. She's the reason I got into this whole blogging thing in the first place!)
When I was a kid, the most horrifying thing I could imagine was doing anything my mother or grandmother did. Bake cookies? Um, no thanks. Crochet a scarf? Yeah, right. Why would I need to learn how to do these things (or worse, enjoy doing them), when I could just buy them? Why would I want to waste my time on these homemaker-y things? I was a modern girl and baking was sooo 1950's.
And then I went to Magnolia Bakery.
For those who don't bake, or who aren't obsessed with all things cupcake, or who didn't get "Lazy Sunday" e-mailed to them, Magnolia Bakery is one of the premier bakeries in New York City. Nestled on a corner of Bleecker Street in downtown New York, it's an unassuming little storefront that conceals the most ahhhh-mazing cupcakes you'll ever eat. I'm not exaggerating even a little bit. They're life-changing.
After I got home from that particular trip to New York, I found the "More From Magnolia" cookbook somewhere. And I bought it immediately. I'd tried baking some stuff before, but more often than not, my cakes didn't rise correctly, or my cookies would burn, or my cupcakes would be dry. "More From Magnolia" turned me into a baker.
I'm pretty sure I'd always skipped reading introductions to cookbooks previously, because I thought I knew everything. But with "More From Magnolia", I wanted to read every word, soak up every thought that led to the creation of these magnificent cupcakes. And by doing that, I learned that it's important that your butter and eggs be at room temperature, that you should precisely measure your flour, that a sifter is a good tool to have hanging around the kitchen. Now that I've read some other cookbook introductions, I see that this one is not revolutionary, but the style is written in a fun, non-intimidating way that teaches you what you need to know.
The book is divided into eight sections (Coffee Cakes/Quick Breads/Breakfast Buns, Cookies, Brownies/Bar Cookies, Pies/Tarts, Cheese Pies/Cheesecakes, Cupcakes/Layer Cakes, Ice Creams/Icebox Desserts and Icings/Frostings/Sauces). None of the recipes are the least bit daunting, and they all feature ingredients that are readily available at most grocery stores.
My only complaint with the book is the lack of photos. The design is lovely and quite homey, with green and black print on white pages, and cute black and white photos of desserts or flowers or aprons leading off each chapter. But each recipe does not have a photo of its own, and there are only eight pages of color photos, featuring roughly 20 of the baked goods (although some are hidden in jars in the back of the photo, so they're not easily seen). I'd love to see how closely my results have matched up with the author's.
Don't worry, though, that cover photo of rows upon rows of cupcakes will have you drooling in the aisles of your local bookstore.
At $27.00, it's a little pricey, but I've personally found it worth it's weight in gold. I've made about 15 things out of this book and not a single one of them failed. To me, that's the sign of a well-written and well-researched cookbook. And it inspired me to expand my horizons, and try out things that were a little harder. This would make an excellent gift for someone itching for a chance to progress beyond boxed baked goods.
Stand Out Recipes:
Kiesha Jenkins-Duffy bakes up an assortment of goodies at http://www.52weeksofbaking.com. An Ohio native, she'll be moving with her husband to Brooklyn in August, where she plans to eat her way through all the bakeries of New York City.
Published in 2004 by Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 9780743246613
List Price: $27.00
160pp
| Rating | (1 = Worst, | 5 = Best) | |
| Presentation | | Illustrations | |
| Depth of Information | | Practicality | |
| Value | | Permanent Library | |
| Gift Giving | | Level of Difficulty | Beginning to Average |
When I put up my first post about doing cookbook reviews, I asked if anyone had any suggestions of books they wanted to see. Kiesha of 52 Weeks of Baking jumped on it immediately, suggesting her favorite book, More From Magnolia. She loves this book as much as I love Martha! (And that's a whole lot.) I knew the book had some great stuff in it, cause I've tasted most of the stuff Kiesha's brought into work, and they've all been great! (I'm still mad I had food poisoning and called in sick the day she brought in her creation for her very first blog post--Red Velvet Cake! I really wanted to try that one.) So I picked it up at the library with every intention of writing a really great review. But the more I looked through it, the more I felt I couldn't do it justice. It's best to leave it to the experts. So I asked Kiesha if she would like to write a review of it for me. She agreed, so here she is! And check out her blog after you're done for more Magnolia goodies! (And non-Magnolia goodies too! Seriously. You won't be disappointed. She's the reason I got into this whole blogging thing in the first place!)
When I was a kid, the most horrifying thing I could imagine was doing anything my mother or grandmother did. Bake cookies? Um, no thanks. Crochet a scarf? Yeah, right. Why would I need to learn how to do these things (or worse, enjoy doing them), when I could just buy them? Why would I want to waste my time on these homemaker-y things? I was a modern girl and baking was sooo 1950's.And then I went to Magnolia Bakery.
For those who don't bake, or who aren't obsessed with all things cupcake, or who didn't get "Lazy Sunday" e-mailed to them, Magnolia Bakery is one of the premier bakeries in New York City. Nestled on a corner of Bleecker Street in downtown New York, it's an unassuming little storefront that conceals the most ahhhh-mazing cupcakes you'll ever eat. I'm not exaggerating even a little bit. They're life-changing.
After I got home from that particular trip to New York, I found the "More From Magnolia" cookbook somewhere. And I bought it immediately. I'd tried baking some stuff before, but more often than not, my cakes didn't rise correctly, or my cookies would burn, or my cupcakes would be dry. "More From Magnolia" turned me into a baker.
I'm pretty sure I'd always skipped reading introductions to cookbooks previously, because I thought I knew everything. But with "More From Magnolia", I wanted to read every word, soak up every thought that led to the creation of these magnificent cupcakes. And by doing that, I learned that it's important that your butter and eggs be at room temperature, that you should precisely measure your flour, that a sifter is a good tool to have hanging around the kitchen. Now that I've read some other cookbook introductions, I see that this one is not revolutionary, but the style is written in a fun, non-intimidating way that teaches you what you need to know.
The book is divided into eight sections (Coffee Cakes/Quick Breads/Breakfast Buns, Cookies, Brownies/Bar Cookies, Pies/Tarts, Cheese Pies/Cheesecakes, Cupcakes/Layer Cakes, Ice Creams/Icebox Desserts and Icings/Frostings/Sauces). None of the recipes are the least bit daunting, and they all feature ingredients that are readily available at most grocery stores.
My only complaint with the book is the lack of photos. The design is lovely and quite homey, with green and black print on white pages, and cute black and white photos of desserts or flowers or aprons leading off each chapter. But each recipe does not have a photo of its own, and there are only eight pages of color photos, featuring roughly 20 of the baked goods (although some are hidden in jars in the back of the photo, so they're not easily seen). I'd love to see how closely my results have matched up with the author's.
Don't worry, though, that cover photo of rows upon rows of cupcakes will have you drooling in the aisles of your local bookstore.
At $27.00, it's a little pricey, but I've personally found it worth it's weight in gold. I've made about 15 things out of this book and not a single one of them failed. To me, that's the sign of a well-written and well-researched cookbook. And it inspired me to expand my horizons, and try out things that were a little harder. This would make an excellent gift for someone itching for a chance to progress beyond boxed baked goods.
Stand Out Recipes:
- Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes
- Iced Ginger Cookies
- Pear Streusel Breakfast Buns
- Red Velvet Cake with Creamy Vanilla Frosting
- Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Pecan Crust
Kiesha Jenkins-Duffy bakes up an assortment of goodies at http://www.52weeksofbaking.com. An Ohio native, she'll be moving with her husband to Brooklyn in August, where she plans to eat her way through all the bakeries of New York City.
7.02.2009
Cookbook Review: CakeLove by Warren Brown
CakeLove by Warren Brown
Published in 2008 by Stewart, Tabori, and Chang
ISBN: 978-1-58479-662-6
List Price: $27.50
223pp
I picked this book up on a whim at the library the other day. The title, Cakelove, just jumped out at me. Who doesn’t love cake? I’d seen it around a few times, but never had the chance to take a look at it. Since I brought it home, I’ve read through it several times, yet I’m still at a bit of a loss for what to say about it. It’s one of those books that I have mixed feelings about. There are things I really like about the book, yet the same things also turn me off from it. Could that possibly make any sense?
I almost skipped over the introduction, thinking it would probably be more of the usual, “this is a spatula. This is chocolate.” I’m glad I didn’t, because it’s the first introduction to a cookbook I’ve read that I felt like I actually learned something from. Finally! A book with a bit of science behind it! So many books merely list ingredients and tools, never telling you why you’re using certain ingredients or why you’re doing certain steps. As a bit of a science nerd, I appreciate that Cakelove goes into details about ingredients and their role in baking, such as the different kinds of flour, their gluten content, and the effect that they have on your cakes. It’s the first time I’ve read an introduction all the way through and actually enjoyed it.
This is about where my admiration for the book and its science textbook feel comes to an end though. I do like that the instructions in each recipe include both conventional and convection oven temperatures and times, that there are adjustments for high altitude baking, there are both mass and volume measurements, and variations for alcohol-free recipes. But it’s some of the directions themselves that bother me. One step in the directions for each recipe reads, “Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter’s structure.” There’s just something about that statement that grates on me. Yeah, it's telling me why I'm doing certain things, but really? Develop the batter's structure? I could have done without that explanation. There are other little comments here and there throughout the book that just strike me funny, and make me feel like it’s gone past the point of knowledgeable, and bordering very closely on pretentious. If only the textbook feel had stayed within the confines of the introduction, and not spilled over into the recipes themselves.
I’m also a bit perturbed that every single recipe in the book calls for potato starch (his secret ingredient). What’s the point of buying an entire thing of potato starch that I’ll use 2 tablespoons of and never touch again? It would be fine if I was planning on baking my way through the whole book, and using a good amount of it, but I’m not. So I'm not going to waste my money... And it’s funny that for all the effort put in to provide substitutions, variations, and adjustments on the recipes, a replacement for potato starch is conspicuously missing.
Looking past my hypocritical irritation, the rest of the book is decent. The pictures of the recipes are very good, although I’m not a huge fan of the presentation of the recipes themselves. They have more of a “rustic” feel, with the frosting being just slathered on, or heaped on between layers, and never actually spread, which I’m not too fond of. I’m more of a “perfect presentation” kind of person, but that’s just me. And for all its depth of information about baking, it doesn’t seem like there’s much depth in the actual practice. Reading through the recipes, they all pretty much sounded like the same thing over and over again. Oh look, another Bundt Cake. It seems like there’s at least 20 of them. (Well I was close. There’s actually 18.) And something about the “Crunchy Feet” just bugs the hell out of me. (They’re just glorified cupcakes baked in a brioche pan, but they annoy me for some reason.) Maybe it’s just me hating on the book now, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of variety here. And definitely not enough to keep me coming back for more.
I don’t know. Something about this book rubbed me the wrong way, and I think it’s blocking me from appreciating it the way it probably should be. I probably won’t own this book ever, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking it out and forming your own opinions about it. Especially if you’re a science nerd, or know someone who is. Who knows. It could be just the book you're looking for.
Stand Out Recipes:
Published in 2008 by Stewart, Tabori, and Chang
ISBN: 978-1-58479-662-6
List Price: $27.50
223pp
| Rating | (1 = Worst, | 5 = Best) | |
| Presentation | | Illustrations | |
| Depth of Information | | Practicality | |
| Value | | Permanent Library | |
| Gift Giving | | Level of Difficulty | Average |
| Overall | |
I picked this book up on a whim at the library the other day. The title, Cakelove, just jumped out at me. Who doesn’t love cake? I’d seen it around a few times, but never had the chance to take a look at it. Since I brought it home, I’ve read through it several times, yet I’m still at a bit of a loss for what to say about it. It’s one of those books that I have mixed feelings about. There are things I really like about the book, yet the same things also turn me off from it. Could that possibly make any sense?I almost skipped over the introduction, thinking it would probably be more of the usual, “this is a spatula. This is chocolate.” I’m glad I didn’t, because it’s the first introduction to a cookbook I’ve read that I felt like I actually learned something from. Finally! A book with a bit of science behind it! So many books merely list ingredients and tools, never telling you why you’re using certain ingredients or why you’re doing certain steps. As a bit of a science nerd, I appreciate that Cakelove goes into details about ingredients and their role in baking, such as the different kinds of flour, their gluten content, and the effect that they have on your cakes. It’s the first time I’ve read an introduction all the way through and actually enjoyed it.
This is about where my admiration for the book and its science textbook feel comes to an end though. I do like that the instructions in each recipe include both conventional and convection oven temperatures and times, that there are adjustments for high altitude baking, there are both mass and volume measurements, and variations for alcohol-free recipes. But it’s some of the directions themselves that bother me. One step in the directions for each recipe reads, “Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter’s structure.” There’s just something about that statement that grates on me. Yeah, it's telling me why I'm doing certain things, but really? Develop the batter's structure? I could have done without that explanation. There are other little comments here and there throughout the book that just strike me funny, and make me feel like it’s gone past the point of knowledgeable, and bordering very closely on pretentious. If only the textbook feel had stayed within the confines of the introduction, and not spilled over into the recipes themselves.
I’m also a bit perturbed that every single recipe in the book calls for potato starch (his secret ingredient). What’s the point of buying an entire thing of potato starch that I’ll use 2 tablespoons of and never touch again? It would be fine if I was planning on baking my way through the whole book, and using a good amount of it, but I’m not. So I'm not going to waste my money... And it’s funny that for all the effort put in to provide substitutions, variations, and adjustments on the recipes, a replacement for potato starch is conspicuously missing.
Looking past my hypocritical irritation, the rest of the book is decent. The pictures of the recipes are very good, although I’m not a huge fan of the presentation of the recipes themselves. They have more of a “rustic” feel, with the frosting being just slathered on, or heaped on between layers, and never actually spread, which I’m not too fond of. I’m more of a “perfect presentation” kind of person, but that’s just me. And for all its depth of information about baking, it doesn’t seem like there’s much depth in the actual practice. Reading through the recipes, they all pretty much sounded like the same thing over and over again. Oh look, another Bundt Cake. It seems like there’s at least 20 of them. (Well I was close. There’s actually 18.) And something about the “Crunchy Feet” just bugs the hell out of me. (They’re just glorified cupcakes baked in a brioche pan, but they annoy me for some reason.) Maybe it’s just me hating on the book now, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of variety here. And definitely not enough to keep me coming back for more.
I don’t know. Something about this book rubbed me the wrong way, and I think it’s blocking me from appreciating it the way it probably should be. I probably won’t own this book ever, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking it out and forming your own opinions about it. Especially if you’re a science nerd, or know someone who is. Who knows. It could be just the book you're looking for.
Stand Out Recipes:
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Chip Cupcakes
- Tres Leches Butter Cake
- Cinnamon and Cream Layer Cake
- Black Forest Cake
6.24.2009
Cookbook Review: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Published in 2008 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang
ISBN: 978-1-58479-721-0
List Price: $29.95
207pp
Item #483 on my list of things to do if I ever make it to New York City: Visit Baked, the bakery in Red Hook. I’m going to have to spend an entire month or more in NYC, if I ever get there, just to do all the things I want to do, but hitting up Baked is definitely going to be one of them. I have no idea how they taste, but just by looking through their cookbook, I’m already hooked. It all looks so tasty! And they can’t be all that bad if they were featured in Oprah’s magazine, O, making the list of her favorite things with their Baked Brownie. But if you’re not one of the masses that take Oprah’s word as gospel, maybe the accolades of America’s Test Kitchen, the Today show, or my own beloved Martha Stewart will help dispel any skepticism.
If they hadn’t shared the story behind opening their bakery in a storefront church in an industrialized section of Brooklyn, I totally would have assumed that Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito were baking up tasty treats in some wooded area of upstate New York or something. With the 70s retro look of the book and its penchant for deer, squirrels, wood grain, and vintage food styling, it simply screams “cabin in the woods” to me. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s got a certain charm to it that I totally love. (It even inspired me to go out and buy new backgrounds for my own pictures!) It gives the book a unique feel to it—a lot less of the feminine vibe you get with other books.
No pink swirly frosting here. Just beautiful Lemon Meringue Tarts sitting on a tree stump, or a rogue garden gnome checking out the amazing Red Hot Velvet Cake. It’s probably one of the better presentations I’ve seen in a cookbook lately! And the little stick figure demo drawings on some of the recipes? Completely adorable.
Broken down into 7 categories (Breakfast, Cakes and Cupcakes, Pies and Tarts, Brownies and Bars, Cookies, Chocolates/Candies/Confections, and Drinks) there’s something for everyone to bake—or not bake. Enjoy an Espresso Martini while someone else bakes! Even though they’ve garnered a lot of praise for the bakery, and made the rounds to all the major media outlets promote the book, it has a very unpretentious and very laid back feel to it. (They’ve got stick figures! How much more unpretentious could you get?) The recipes are no different. They are straightforward and don’t really require any special ingredients that the local grocery store wouldn’t stock. The recipes even stick with the retro idea. Most are updated takes on old classics, such as the Grasshopper Cake, Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie, or the Classic Diner-Style Chocolate Pie. Some are even based on classic candies and drinks like the Root Beer Bundt Cake, the Red Hot Velvet Cake, the Milk Chocolate Malt Ball Cake, or the Coconut Snowball Cupcakes. (Which is why I'm not really sure what "New Frontiers" they're referring to in their title.. A lot look like rediscovered frontiers to me.. But whatever!) None of the techniques seem to be more than an average baker can handle. Each recipe also has a “Baked Note” in the sidebar giving tips and substitutions for the recipes.
At $29.95, it’s a decent value. You’d pay that much or more for almost any hardcover cookbook, and this one’s got quite an assortment of goodies to make. From breakfast to dessert to cocktails, you’ve got plenty to choose from here! I’m definitely going to have to buy this one for myself because I really enjoy it. And it would make a great gift for those manly bakers who cringe at cookbooks full of pastel swirls. Definitely check this one out if you get a chance!
Stand Out Recipes:
Published in 2008 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang
ISBN: 978-1-58479-721-0
List Price: $29.95
207pp
| Rating | (1 = Worst, | 5 = Best) | |
| Presentation | | Illustrations | |
| Depth of Information | | Practicality | |
| Value | | Permanent Library | |
| Gift Giving | | Level of Difficulty | Average |
| Overall | |
Item #483 on my list of things to do if I ever make it to New York City: Visit Baked, the bakery in Red Hook. I’m going to have to spend an entire month or more in NYC, if I ever get there, just to do all the things I want to do, but hitting up Baked is definitely going to be one of them. I have no idea how they taste, but just by looking through their cookbook, I’m already hooked. It all looks so tasty! And they can’t be all that bad if they were featured in Oprah’s magazine, O, making the list of her favorite things with their Baked Brownie. But if you’re not one of the masses that take Oprah’s word as gospel, maybe the accolades of America’s Test Kitchen, the Today show, or my own beloved Martha Stewart will help dispel any skepticism.If they hadn’t shared the story behind opening their bakery in a storefront church in an industrialized section of Brooklyn, I totally would have assumed that Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito were baking up tasty treats in some wooded area of upstate New York or something. With the 70s retro look of the book and its penchant for deer, squirrels, wood grain, and vintage food styling, it simply screams “cabin in the woods” to me. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s got a certain charm to it that I totally love. (It even inspired me to go out and buy new backgrounds for my own pictures!) It gives the book a unique feel to it—a lot less of the feminine vibe you get with other books.
No pink swirly frosting here. Just beautiful Lemon Meringue Tarts sitting on a tree stump, or a rogue garden gnome checking out the amazing Red Hot Velvet Cake. It’s probably one of the better presentations I’ve seen in a cookbook lately! And the little stick figure demo drawings on some of the recipes? Completely adorable.Broken down into 7 categories (Breakfast, Cakes and Cupcakes, Pies and Tarts, Brownies and Bars, Cookies, Chocolates/Candies/Confections, and Drinks) there’s something for everyone to bake—or not bake. Enjoy an Espresso Martini while someone else bakes! Even though they’ve garnered a lot of praise for the bakery, and made the rounds to all the major media outlets promote the book, it has a very unpretentious and very laid back feel to it. (They’ve got stick figures! How much more unpretentious could you get?) The recipes are no different. They are straightforward and don’t really require any special ingredients that the local grocery store wouldn’t stock. The recipes even stick with the retro idea. Most are updated takes on old classics, such as the Grasshopper Cake, Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie, or the Classic Diner-Style Chocolate Pie. Some are even based on classic candies and drinks like the Root Beer Bundt Cake, the Red Hot Velvet Cake, the Milk Chocolate Malt Ball Cake, or the Coconut Snowball Cupcakes. (Which is why I'm not really sure what "New Frontiers" they're referring to in their title.. A lot look like rediscovered frontiers to me.. But whatever!) None of the techniques seem to be more than an average baker can handle. Each recipe also has a “Baked Note” in the sidebar giving tips and substitutions for the recipes.
At $29.95, it’s a decent value. You’d pay that much or more for almost any hardcover cookbook, and this one’s got quite an assortment of goodies to make. From breakfast to dessert to cocktails, you’ve got plenty to choose from here! I’m definitely going to have to buy this one for myself because I really enjoy it. And it would make a great gift for those manly bakers who cringe at cookbooks full of pastel swirls. Definitely check this one out if you get a chance!
Stand Out Recipes:
- Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl
- Sweet and Salty Cake
- Root Beer Bundt Cake
- Butterscotch Pudding Tarts
- The Baked Brownie
- Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
- Chocolate Stout Milkshake
