Bibliography

Review: The no-knead way to make bread revolutionized my life just a few years ago.  I had never had success making yeast bread, and had basically given up until a friend told me about these techniques and recipes based on the chemistry and properties of flour, water and yeast.  (As wonderfully detailed in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.)  My first loaf was a success, as every loaf since then has been and I have gained confidence to bake all kinds of yeasted doughs.  While there have been many others to tout this technique, Lahey was one of the first with My Bread.

And yet, when I read the techniques in My Pizza, I was skeptical.  Not about the dough rising slowly on the counter, but at the idea that I could get my electric oven to heat to over 500 degrees and cook a pizza in 6 to 8 minutes.  The book is quite detailed in what to do (and what not to do.)  It does require some forethought, as the dough rises slowly on the counter (mine took much less time than the book indicated) and you must preheat your baking stone and oven for 30 minutes or more to get it as hot as you can.

The dough is soft and sticky but a little flour helps that.  There are descriptions and pictures of shaping the dough.  I managed to twirl and stretch my first one over my knuckles as described, but decided it must have been beginner’s luck, as subsequent times I couldn’t get it to work.  I suggest that gently pressing and pushing the dough into shape works just as well.  (You don’t want to roll the dough as that would press out much of the air/gas inside.  You want those bubbles because they make the texture of the pizza.)

I covered the dough with my own combination of sauce and toppings, but Lahey has tons of suggestions, from simple and traditional to more complex and unexpected.  These are designed to be smallish pizzas, like personal size, with the idea that you cut each one into 4 slices to share while the next one is cooking and so forth.  I would suggest that you don’t want to overload the crust as it might interfere with the cooking time.

When I placed the first pizza in the oven, I was still doubtful.  I shouldn’t have been–right before my eyes the pizza rose, with a beautiful bumpy crust that then proceeded to get charred in spots with cheese melted over all.  (Those charred spots tell you better than any timer that the pizza is done.)  The pizza is quite hot, so while it is tempting, I suggest waiting a few minutes before digging in.  I also suggest topping each pie right before you place it in the oven.  This will also allow the oven a chance to come back up to temperature.

The real test?  How it tastes.  And that was no disappointment either.  Crisp and chewy, it was all we could do not to gobble up all four pizzas.  I have made pizza this way several times since, and we have loved it every time.

Review Excerpt: “This fantastic book truly delivers on the promise of crusty, artisan breads with minimal effort. Essential for pizza lovers.”–Library Journal

Reviewed from Netgalley electronic copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase

Bibliography

Review:  The premise behind this collection of recipes is to highlight recipes for all kinds of baked treats made without refined sugar.  Many of the recipes are also gluten free, dairy free or vegan.  The first part of the book contains an invaluable explanation of what all the different alternative sweetners used in the book are:  what they taste like, their consistency, and how to substitute with them in recipes.  Some are familiar like honey or maple syrup, but brown rice syrup was new to me, and I didn’t realize where sorghum came from.  In addition, two standard recipes to demonstrate the sweeteners and techniques are explained; one for chocolate chip cookies and one for white cake.

A proponent of local, slow food, Martin organizes the recipes by season, highlighting the best fruit, produce and flavors for each.  Some contributors recipes were altered slightly to fit the book’s purpose.  There is a list of all contributors with more information about them in the back of the book.  This is also a beautifully designed book with well-laid out recipes on thick creamy pages and beautiful colored drawings of fruit and vegetables.  There are also tons of side bars and notes to help even the most beginner cook.

I decided to try making Mexican Chocolate Cake with Vegan Mexican Ganache (p. 162-163).  First I had to search for some of the ingredients.  My regular grocery had firm tofu.  I had to travel to a specialty store to locate brown rice syrup.  I could not find grain-sweetened chocolate chips, so I used vegan chocolate chips.  Since I was apprehensive about how they would go over, I halved the recipe and made them as cupcakes.  The recipe was easy to follow and fast to mix up.  I did add the optional spices to the ganache.  The cupcakes looked good, and the flavor was good too.  The spices made it interesting.  I thought the texture, while moist, seemed a little gummy.  One person I shared them with was surprised to discover the ganache was made with tofu.

I would like to try some of the other recipes, and even just having the brown rice syrup in my pantry motivated me to look online for more recipes.  Am I going to give up sugar?  No, but I am now informed about other options and choices out there.

 Bibliography: Washburn, Livia. J. (2008). The Christmas Cookie Killer.  New York: NAL Trade.  ISBN: 978-0451225344(t) 978-0451226662 (pb)

Plot Summary: Retired Weatherford, Texas teacher Phyllis Newsom  is sure that her lime snowflake cookies will win the local newspaper cookie contest.  She decides to take some to her next door neighbor Agnes who asks if she might make them with her grandchildren.  Phyllis runs home to find her special snow flake cutters.  Minutes later, she finds Agnes dead and is knocked out by a blow from behind.  Phyllis is determined to track down the killer.  Was it Agnes’ grandson, hiding in the attic and from the law?  the loan shark he borrowed money from?  One of the neighbors with a secret Agnes discovered?

Critical Analysis:  I am a sucker for cozy culinary mysteries. and this one was a Christmas one to boot! I don’t usually jump into a series in the middle, but I didn’t find myself lost or confused by not having read earlier entries.  I did enjoy Phyllis and her roommates and their dynamics, and all of the Christmas touches.  The mystery itself was maybe not the best part, but Washburn has the small town Texas dynamics down pat, and I may seek out another in the series to see what I think.  The recipes also sound divine, and I want to try injecting a ham with Coca-Cola just because it sounds like a great idea.

Reviewed from public library  copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography: Fluke, Joanne; Laura Levine and Leslie Meier. (2010). Gingerbread Cookie Murder. New York: Kensington.  ISBN: 978-0758234957 (hc) 978-0758234957 (pb)

Plot Summary:  Three wonderful holiday whodunuits.  In “Gingerbread Cookie Murder” by Joanne Fluke, Hannah Swensen just wants neighbor Ernie to turn down the music on his over the top Christmas display.  When she finally goes to his condo to confront him, she finds him sprawled on the floor with her gingerbread cookies scattered around him.  In “The Danger of Gingerbread Cookies” by Laura Levine, Jaine Austen is visiting her parents at their retirement complex in Florida where she has to suffer through an awful amateur holiday play.  It may be bad, but she didn’t wish for the “accidental” death of one of the actors.  In “Gingerbread Cookies and Gunshots” by Leslie Meier, intrepid local reporter Lucy Stone knows that there is more than meets the eye to the disappearance of a little boy from the back of his parents’ car.  Between her own holiday preparations, she races to track down the boy.

Critical Analysis:  These shorter novellas are perfect for holiday reading.  They are little treats to fans of the respective authors’ mystery series, and serve as introductions or light diversions for readers who may be less familiar.  I am a long time reader of Fluke and Meier, and also read 2007′s Candy Cane Murder, featuring three stories from the same authors.  (Which reminds me to seek out Levine’s series as well.)  I continue to read Fluke, although I have found the last couple of entries in her series to be uneven.  I actually love her shorter stories because the mystery and action are so tight.   I think the short story and novella are under-utilized forms these days, and look forward to more of these collections.  Plus I am a sucker for holiday stories and Fluke’s recipes.

Review Excerpts:  ”Fluke, Levine, and Meier each offer a yuletide whodunit treat in this entertaining follow-up to 2007′s Candy Cane Murder.”–Publisher’s Weekly

Reviewed from personal copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Plot Summary:  Still torn between dentist Norman and detective Mike, Hannah Swensen manages to stumble over another body in between baking and serving cookies at The Cookie Jar.  The visiting minister winds up dead, and the only witness is a mynah bird squawking ”The Wages of Sin Are Death.”  Hannah, her sisters, and mother all get in the sleuthing act but when Hannah realizes who the murderer is, she almost doesn’t live to tell the others.

Critical Analysis:  I admitted in my last review to being a mystery junkie.  And now I am going to tell you that I don’t really read this series for the mysteries.    I read to see what is happening in Lake Eden and with Hannah and her family.  And I read for the fabulous and delicious recipes.  This entry was a little stronger plot-wise then the last couple that came before it, for which I am glad because I wasn’t sure how much more less than stellar mystery I could take to get my character development and recipe fix.

I think I like Hannah because she is such a normal person–she struggles a little with her weight (taste testing all those cookies!) and her hair (it can be on the frizzy side.)  She has a loving family and friends, and a small town that supports her.  I also think I enjoy the sort of romantic fantasy of what it must be like to have two very different guys be in love with you at the same time.  (I think that the Stephanie Plum series by Evanovich is similar in this way.)  I am sure there are some people who want her to make up her mind already.  (I did enjoy the third person added to the mix in Cherry Cheesecake Murder–Joanne Fluke, if you are reading this, please bring him back!)  And in this volume, I loved the whole mystery with Norman.  I felt it added to the continuing story, that everything was not going to continue as it had.

And the recipes–oh the recipes–all I can say is, even if you don’t read this series, you should look for Fluke’s Lake Eden Cookbook coming this fall–it seems like it would be perfect for holiday gifts.

Review Excerpts:  ”Bestseller Fluke’s fabulous 14th foodie mystery….Mouthwatering recipes include butterscotch bonanza bars and pineapple casserole.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“More baking, less sleuthing in this very gentle mystery. The mouthwatering recipes are winners.”–Library Journal

Reviewed from public library audiobook.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Review:  I may have to stop reviewing cookbooks from Taunton Press–every single one I have chosen to review thus far I have wanted to own.  My personal copy ordered from Amazon is on it’s way to me as I type this.

What is it about this one?  At first glance, it seems a little gimmicky.  About 10 or 12 years ago, there were several cookbooks published that either limited the number of ingredients or number of steps for a recipe.  Sometimes they were successful and sometimes less so.

Johnson Dodge has an understanding of ingredients, of chemistry, of baking and cooking, and of today’s cook that works like magic here.  When you only have four ingredients, they all count, and they all must work together to make the finished product.  She gives a great introductory section where she talks about ingredients, techniques, equipment and more.  Almost every recipe has suggestions to change it up, or comments on technical things or ways to gussy it up with sauces or glazes or the like.  Usually when I review a cookbook, I make two or three dishes to see how they turn out.  These recipes were so easy and so good, I found myself making one every time I turned around.

I started with Jammin’ Sugar Cookie Thumbprints (p. 22) and Toasted Pistachio Crisps (p. 19).  I am lazy, so I almost never get out my mixer.  On the thumbprints, I filled them with raspberry preserves.  They were rich, buttery, crispy and the raspberry was a perfect contrast.  There were several suggestions for switch-ins and anyone with a little imagination could come up with more.  I was not able to slice the dough for the crisps, it kept crumbling.  (Possibly my fault for either mixing by hand or not chopping my nuts finely enough).  It didn’t matter, I rolled the dough into balls and pressed each flat with the palm of my hand.  My husband loved them, suggesting I add them to my regular baking.  From there I tried Crunchy Peanut Butter Buttons (p. 32).  You will be amazed that such simple ingredients make such a divine cookie.  Next time I think I’ll try the suggestion and add mini M&Ms.  These cookies were surprisingly even more peanuttier the second day.  The Oatmeal-Cinnamon Crisps (p. 28) made a believer out of me.  I looked at the “dough” and then my homely piles of oats on the cookie sheets and thought there is no way this is going to work.  And then it did, almost like magic, when the brown sugar caramelized to make little crunchy mounds of goodness.

There were two recipes that were less successful however.  The Lemon Meltaways (p. 29) had nice texture but didn’t taste very lemony.  This again may have been my fault, as I didn’t measure my lemon zest, just zested the one lemon I had and figured it was enough.  The Chocolate-Toffee Crumble Cups (p. 37) were delicious when first baked, but after they had cooled, the toffee in the dough seemed to get very hard and chewy and made them not as good.  In this case, I think I would make them again and only put the toffee on the top, or try one of the suggestions for other things to switch-in their place.

Almost every recipe I tried had a higher yield than indicated.  (If you are into cooking or just like to be exact, I recommend buying cookie scoops of varying sizes, they work so well.)   I wanted to try other recipes in the book, so I can’t wait for my copy to get here.  And Abigail Johnson Dodge, if you see this, I would love a Cookies 4 Today book next.  (You can tell I can’t get enough of these cookie recipes!)

Reviewed from publisher provided egalley downloaded from Netgalley.com  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Review:  I was blown away by Tack and Richardson’s first book, Hello, Cupcake.  The designs and photos were stunning and often had a sense of humor as well.  But many of the designs I really admired (like the dogs on the cover) seemed like a lot of work, and I, who has a set of icing bags and tips and has taken cake decorating classes, was also skeptical about using canned frosting and zipper bags to do most of the work.

When I heard there was a new book, I was still excited.  And the new book blows the old one out of the water, if that is possible.  The cupcakes and photos are still stunning, but now there are both difficult and complex designs along with “EZ” ones.  I especially think the first part of the book is invaluable, with very clear pictures of cupcake materials, tools, and techniques.  Showing what and how they use all kinds of candies, sprinkles and more makes it easier to understand the directions that follow, but also serves as an inspiration for readers to create their own designs.  The labeling of the photos gives the reader a reference of sorts to match to the instructions.

The designs themselves run the gamut from cute to creepy, with bright yellow rubber ducks, bouquets of flowers, fake Chinese food, ants, cockroaches (too realistic!), haunted houses and silly monsters.  Some of them, like Ring Bling or Flower Power lend themselves to make it yourself activities for children’s birthday parties.  Others, like Formula One (a racing car made of cupcakes) , Robo-Cup (robot), Sand Castles, and Haunted House would make great edible party centerpieces.  There are more adult friendly cupcakes, like bouquets of mums and roses, golf, and one that shows you how to copy a pattern that would be great for showers, weddings, or birthdays.  For a large or more elaborate party, it would be fun to make several different designs that have similar themes to serve together, like Haunted House, Black Cats and Jack ‘O Lanterns, or Sand Castle, Making Waves, and Whale of a Good Time.

When I decided to try some of the techniques myself, I decided to try a variation of Flower Power.  First I baked perfect cake mix cupcakes using french vanilla cake mix.  They were very moist.  Then I used the dipping cupcakes method to cover the top of each in bright green vanilla frosting.  This technique really works, it makes a perfect smooth almost shiny topped cupcake.  The only thing problem is if you heat the frosting too much, it becomes runny and doesn’t stick.  Then I attached cookies to pretzel sticks to serve as the flower base.  I found this less than satisfactory, as the chocolate never seemed to get hard, even after time in the fridge.  I used regular frosting in zipper bags to pipe frosting on the cookies in different flower shapes and used various candies and sprinkles to decorate them.  I did have a hard time with this, as the frosting warmed up quickly from my hands and was hard to control.  I think possibly my kitchen was too warm, but I think in the future I might try again but stir some powdered sugar into the frosting.  I found that the spearmint leaves were easy to cut into thinner leaves and made very attractive leaves for my flowers.  My biggest disappointment was realizing that these cupcakes were not very easy to transport, although I realize now that the cupcakes and flowers could be made separately and assembled on site.

You can see a few designs from the new book on Amazon:  An Apple for Teacher Cupcakes and Playing for Koi.  Some of their designs are also available from Duncan Hines.

Review Excerpts: “Kids and adults alike will find joy in the many artful creations, including a “pizza” supported by cupcakes and topped with fruit “pepperoni”; a banana split with cupcakes in the form of ice cream scoops, and Chinese takeout complete with Tootsie Roll broccoli florets. This is an innovative title that doesn’t hold back.”–Publisher’s Weekly

Reviewed from electronic advanced copy from NetGalley.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Review: This was one of my favorite books from last year.  I don’t just love cookbooks because I love cooking, I love cookbooks with gorgeous photographs and interesting head notes and tips and techniques.  I really enjoy this kind of book, as they go into multiple variations of beloved recipes such as chocolate chip cookies and brownies as well as providing new and interesting dishes to try.  I know there are people out there who don’t like chocolate, but this book is for all of the rest of us.

I first read this online in galley form, and thought it was wonderful, but when I was able to check out a copy from the library, I liked it even more, with it’s large over-sized format and photographs that make you want to make every recipe (all 125) in the book.  From an introduction that describes the process of making chocolate and encourages a chocolate taste test through a gamut of chocolate delights and confections and tips and tricks for cooking with all forms of chocolate,  I find myself struggling not to add this to my ever growing personal collection of recipe books.

I was drawn to some of the more unique recipes such as port ganache- glazed brownies with dried cherries and fried chocolate hazelnut wontons with orange dipping sauce, but the true test of a book like this I believe are in its renditions of old favorites and classics.  For about as long as I can remember, my recipe of choice for chocolate chip cookies has been that on the back of that familiar yellow bag that has been around now for over 70 years.  But sometimes my husband complains that these are too crunchy.  So I was eager to try the recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies found on page 12.  According to the recipe, cold butter and eggs combined with a higher proportion of brown sugar will give a chewier cookie.  After baking these, I think I might have found a new chocolate chip cookie recipe to replace the old standby.  Chewy and irresistible and a recipe that even cut in half yields a ton.  The true test was my husband.

“What’s in these?” he asked?

Uh-oh, I thought, he doesn’t like them.

“They are like potato chips.  I can’t stop eating them.”

The secret?  I think it is the vanilla, three times as much as in the old familiar recipe.

I also tried the Chocolate Chip Muffins on page 244.  Recent attempts to move away from boxed muffin mix to scratch muffins had not been successful.  Again I was skeptical, as the directions called for overloading the muffin tins to get a bakery style top.  My past experience with that were muffins that overflowed the pan and baked together into a huge mess.  Again, I was wrong.  I was rewarded with huge beautiful muffins that were, of course, better than a box mix.  My only complaint was that there were too many for the two of us, so next time I’ll probably cut the recipe in half.

Now I am eager to try more–perhaps brownies will be next?  Chewy, fudgy or cakey?  Mint or peanut butter or cream cheese?  Perhaps I’ll need to buy this book after all.

Review Excerpts: “From the simple to the elegant, the editors of Fine Cooking have all your chocolate cravings covered….the 125-plus recipes cover cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and tarts, puddings and mousses, and other delectable treats. Recipes are clear and filled with enough basic tips to make novice cooks feel like pros.”–Library Journal

“[A]n absolute must for chocolate lovers. This new cookbook, filled with tantalizing color photographs, makes you want to dive into a bowl of chocolate and never come up for air. It’s a breathtaking, mouthwatering look into the world of chocolate.”–Chattanooga Times Free-Press

Reviewed from public library copy. Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

I first started reading Cooking Light in the mid-1990s, when I was still living in a college dorm.  I didn’t have a kitchen, but sometimes the cover would catch my eye from the newsstand and I’d buy the latest copy.  In addition to delicious sounding recipes with lots of photos, they also had healthy living product reviews, nutrition information, workouts, and more.  Not too long after that,  I moved out of the dorm to a little house with a kitchen and my parents got me a subscription.

I remember the first double issue (Cooking Light publishes one double issue a year that has tons of holiday recipes and gift ideas) I received had the recipe for Easy Chocolate-Caramel Brownies on the front.  I HAD to make them right away, but I didn’t have a car to drive to the grocery store.  So I walked to a little convenience store a little ways off and paid too much for all the ingredients but was so happy to bake (and eat!) the brownies.

Since then, I have subscribed to the magazine off and on, depending on whether someone was giving it to me as a gift or I could read it at the library.  I saved my back issues for years, only giving them up when we moved to Florida.  (They took up too much space.)  Fortunately, like many magazine publishers, Southern Progress Corporation realized putting their recipes and features online does not diminish their print readership.  Find Cooking Light and sister magazine’s recipes at MyRecipes.  A recent change in design, layout, and focus has made Cooking Light a joy to read and savor.

This year’s double issue includes a holiday party on the cheap, spectacular food gifts to make and give (toasted coconut marshmallows, cranberry liqueur and more), great gadgets and gifts for cooks, new takes on Christmas cookies and much much more.

I like this magazine so much that I am renewing my own subscription and giving some subscriptions as Christmas gifts as well.

Cooking Light publishes 12 issues a year (the double issue counts as 2.)

Reviewed from personal copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Review: I have many memories of cakes.  Birthday cakes, special cakes only made at Christmas, cakes I made to enter at the state fair.  Many of these were baked in a bundt or tube pan, and often served plain or only with a light glaze.  Lauren Chattman’s new cookbook brought back all those baking memories and inspired me to make more.  Her book includes 100 simple but delicious cakes meant to be mixed and baked in a few hours or less, and stored at room temperature under a cake keeper, if you’ve got one.  Assuming there is any cake left to keep.

The recipes are divided according what size and shape pan in which they are to be baked.  There are snack cakes, coffee cakes, crumb cakes, bunt cakes, chiffon cakes, angel food cakes, fruit upside down cakes, cakes with unusual flavor combinations, and some with familiar but delicious tastes.  The directions are very clear, including preparing the pan, tests for doneness and suggestions for serving.  In many cases, Chattman has modernized the preparation for the batters.  For example, with all butter based cakes, such as pound cakes, there is no fussing about how to add the liquid and the flour, you basically add one and then the other.  This makes for what will seem like a different batter than most bakers expect, but it bakes up just fine.

The design of the book itself is very appealing.  Coming in at just under 8 X 8 inches, and under 200 pages, it is not the intimidating tome that many recent cake and baking cookbooks have been.  Gorgeous full color photos of many of the recipes and lots of white space are a joy.  Too bad there isn’t a picture of every cake.  Listing the ingredients on the side of the page instead of the top and highlighting them in a different color makes them very easy to read and follow.

I have made several recipes from this book, and loved all of them.  I have made the World’s Quickest Yeasted Coffee Cake (p. 39) two or three times, it is more than just quick, it is delicious.  And while it is adapted from a Fleischman’s yeast recipe, Chattman’s is better.  One note, this cake does not store well, so bake when you know you have people to share it with.  Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake (p. 121) is very similar to a recipe that my sister and I make that starts with a cake mix and pudding.  This one, however, is from scratch, and you can tell the difference–it bakes higher and has a better crumb.  A note on this one, if I make it again, I will lower my oven temperature 25 degrees, as I think it was ever so slightly overcooked.  The fault being my oven, not the recipe.  Just this afternoon, I made the Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake (p. 101).  Having read Chattman’s note about changing out pans and pan sizes, I decided to double the recipe and bake it in a bundt pan.  I couldn’t find my cloves, so I substituted the same amount of ginger.  Also, I knew my husband wouldn’t like the chocolate chips and I forgot to buy walnuts at the store, so I left both out of the recipe.  The bundt pan was very full, if you have a smaller pan, you would need to take some batter out.  I baked mine at 325 degrees for 60 minutes and it came our perfect.  A crisp outside and moist inside and a beautiful golden orange color throughout.  My husband thought it was fabulous, plain and unadorned, and I did too.

Therein lies the beauty of this little book.  Each recipe is like the foundation on which you can build your own versions of whatever strikes your fancy.  Once you know the basic idea for a fruit upside down cake or a crumb cake, you can change the fruit to what you have on hand or what’s in season.  You can add and subtract mix ins, change flavorings, and more.  This might be just the book to get me away from boxed dessert mixes.  This would make a great gift, especially if you added a cake keeper and the different baking pans used in each chapter.

Review Excerpts:  “The former pastry chef Lauren Chattman’s new book sets out to prove that baking a cake can be an everyday activity. In the spirit of industrious folks like Julie Powell, who spent a year cooking her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (the experience spawned a book and a movie), Chattman baked a different cake every day for almost a year; the resulting 100 unfrosted and unfilled cakes range from old favorites like the crunchy-topped blueberry buckle to an Italian-style red grape, polenta, and olive oil cake.”–Saveur

““Author Lauren Chattman’s recipe for Cinnamon Pudding Cake and Almond Brown Butter Cake conjure winter days and warm milk. Pear Cake with Sea Salt Caramel Sauce appears dinner-party worthy without being fussy. Meanwhile, cakes like Fig and Cornmeal with Pine Nuts or Chocolate Chipotle — a rich buttermilk loaf with a subtle, smoky kick — strike just the right balance between comfort and sophistication. Make no mistake: these are not quick cakes. They are simply simple cakes, no frosting, no flower cut-outs, no intimidation.”–The Associated Press

Reviewed from publisher provided copy. Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.