Pros: *drool* uh, I mean, fantastic results!
Cons: Try not to go into diabetic shock, okay?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review book (published 2010) provided courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted at Epinions.com.
Cake, frosting, chocolate… ohhh my. I knew I was in trouble as soon as I laid eyes on Elinor Klivans’s Chocolate Cakes: 50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion
Pros: Hilarious, incredibly useful, and soooooooooo delicious
Cons: NONE
Rating: 6 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
Actual quotes uttered during the testing of this cookbook by me, my husband, and friends:
“Is it legal for cakes to taste this good?”
“She’s a natural storyteller.”
“We don’t have to stop making cakes from this book just because you’re ready to review it, do we?”
(With pen in hand) “What’s the name of that cookbook?”
I’ve been reviewing books since roughly 1998. In that time, I’ve reviewed almost 200 cookbooks. I can say without a doubt—and I noticed this well before I started getting any review copies from them—that overall, Chronicle puts out the best cookbooks. Don’t get me wrong; cookbooks from other publishers can, individually, be equally as good. But for the most consistent high quality and production value, I look to Chronicle. I’ve only once, I think, been “meh” about one of their cookbooks, and I’ve never given really low marks to any of them. That’s a surprising track record.
Pros: Extremely useful for beginner or non-ambitious cupcake decorators!
Cons: Has a narrow purpose
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
I love cake. I ADORE cupcakes, which are small, portable, easy-to-indulge-in tidbits of cake. They’re more fun if you decorate them a bit, make them a little snazzy, but it’s hard to find a good middle ground. There’s a ton of cake-making equipment out there, but maybe you just want a simple swirled icing, nothing too fancy, and you don’t want to spend much money to do it. There are books by the dozens teaching you how to make elaborate icing flowers, but maybe like me you just don’t have that kind of artistic talent—or hands that steady! (Let’s face it—anything fancy I try to make is going to eventually turn up on Cake Wrecks.) Or perhaps you do want to get into decorating on a larger scale, but you want to start small, keep things simple until you get the hang of the basics.
In any of these cases, Elinor Klivans’s Cupcake Kit: Recipes, Liners, and Decorating Tools for Making the Best Cupcakes!
Pros: Delicious & so much healthier!
Cons: Occasional mild structural problems
Rating: 5 out of 5
Pros: Amazing bread; wonderful variety of recipes from all over the world; DVD included
Cons: One or two minor editing snafus; would have loved more photos!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Pros: Amazing bread; very detailed instructions; incredibly easy
Cons: Doesn’t work as well with whole grains
Rating: 5 out of 5
Pros: Astoundingly delicious, light, and perfect whole grain breads
Cons: Only for dedicated bakers!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Technorati Tags: Peter Reinhart, whole grain, book reviews, books, cooking, cookbooks, recipes, bread
Pros: A ton of delicious whole grain recipes with handy tips
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5
Technorati Tags: King Arthur Flour, reviews, cooking, cookbooks, baking, whole grain, recipes
Pros: Some of the most delightful breads ever; bread for a week morning programs
Cons: Make sure you have a recent-model heavy-duty stand mixer before trying the stand-mixer amounts
Rating: 5 out of 5
Technorati Tags: Jewish Baker, book reviews, books, cookbooks, baking, bread
Pros: Tender, flaky, tasty, never-fail biscuits
Cons: None!
Rating: 5 out of 5
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