Book Review: Delish Insane Sweets by Joanna Saltz

Delish Insane Sweets
by Joanna Saltz (641.865 Sal)

By now everyone is sick to death of their healthy diets and it’s time to splurge on desserts!

 

Delish Insane Sweets is a collection of dessert recipes on the smaller size. Some recipes will make 13 cookies (Ultimate Snickerdoodles), some 18 (Earth Day Cookies), and some 24 (Owl Cupcakes — which are adorable looking, too).

 

The categories include Cookie Monsters, Cupcakes, Brownies, Bar Cookies, and Holiday Cookies.

 

Pick and choose a treat, and if you don’t like that recipe, the batch was small enough that you can give them all away to neighbors or coworkers and try something else without feeling like you wasted a ton of ingredients.

 

Use your own chocolate chip cookie recipe and use “31 Amazing Mix-Ins for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough” to create a few new cookies using a few soft caramels for some, chopped cooked bacon for another, mini Oreos for others, along with 28 other suggestions.

 

This was a fun book to browse through and bake (Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies! Cheesecake-Stuffed Cupcakes!) and I have it on my To Buy List for my personal collection.

 

Best of all, there are photos of every single recipe.

 

( official Joanna Saltz page on the Delish web site )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: The Cookie That Changed My Life and More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins by Nancy Silverton

The Cookie That Changed My Life and More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins
by Nancy Silverton (641.865 Sil)

I am one of those people who cannot pass up a good cookbook with a catchy title or excellent photo on the cover when I look at the New Book Display. I checked out this one because I wanted to see what recipes renowned chef Nancy Silverton picked out as “classic” recipes but with her own touch on each of them. The cookbook is an excellent assortment of dessert recipes with step-by-step instructions as well as detailed information about the ingredients you should buy and the equipment you should use in baking each recipe. What I enjoyed most about the book is the commentary provided by Ms. Silverton describing what she was looking for in the recipe to create “perfection.” In some cases, she took a recipe by some other famous cook and made it her own by adding different ingredients (this is the case with the cookie that changed her life — a simple recipe for peanut butter cookies that she improved upon by adding a peanut butter topping and roasted Spanish peanuts). Nearly every recipe includes a large glossy photo of the finished product — something that I especially look for in cookbooks. This is an excellent book for browsing or for adding to your collection, especially for those new to cooking desserts. I highly recommend this.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.)

 

( Nancy Silverton entry on Wikipedia )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Baking Yesteryear: The Best Recipes From the 1900s to the 1980s by B. Dylan Hollis

Baking Yesteryear: The Best Recipes From the 1900s to the 1980s
by B. Dylan Hollis (641.815 Hol)

Baking Yesteryear is a traditional baking cookbook, from a non-traditional source. Author B. Dylan Hollis grew up on Bermuda, fascinated with things of a bygone era. When he came to the U.S. in 2014 to enroll in a music school, he later found himself cooped up in isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A budding humorist, he had experimented with the TikTok short video format to create some comedy videos, but nothing seemed to click. Until he grabbed a dusty old cookbook of a shelf, created a humor video of himself making a vintage recipe of “Pork Cake”, and shared it with the world of the Internet. Combining Hollis’ hyperactive sense of humor, his tightly cut and edited videos have racked up millions of fans and hundreds of millions of views. The only logical thing for him to do next…was consolidate some of his (and his fans’) favorite recipes into a singular cookbook. And that is Baking Yesteryear.

 

90% of Baking Yesteryear is traditional cookbook format — recipes with traditional ingredient lists and preparation instructions. The remain 10% is Hollis lending his acerbic, hyper-intelligent wit to each recipe’s introduction. The other big selling point for this book is the recipes he selected — they come from a wide variety of sources, and most are recipes you’re not likely to have encountered anywhere recently (outside of his TikTok videos), unless you’re a collector of rare and obscure cookbooks from other historical eras.

Especially appreciated are the beautiful color photographs that accompany every single recipe in this this book. This should be an enjoyable read for anyone who is a fan of Hollis, anyone who loves cookbooks, anyone who loves baking, and anyone with a sense of humor about food and food history.

 

( publisher’s official Baking Yesteryear web page ) | ( official B Dylan Hollis TikTok feed )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: The I Love Cookies Recipe Book by Jacquelyn Parkes

The I Love Cookies Recipe Book
by Jacquelyn Parkes (641.865 Par)

Let’s get this out of the way right off — there are not photos of every recipe in this book. Which is a major drawback otherwise I wouldn’t have recognized how fabulous “Peanut Butter Crispy Brownie Bars” are simply from the recipe. Seriously, photos of every single recipe are necessary in recipe books.

 

Aside from that, I enjoyed browsing through this book and nabbed a few recipes for my kitchen.

 

What drew me to this recipe book is the cookie yields are small: 24, or 36, or 48 — some are even 12 or 16 (okay, what actually drew me to this book was the photo and recipe for Chocolate Thin Mint Cookies). With the lower yield, you don’t have massive amounts of cookies if there are only one or two of you at home (for example, the original Toll House cookie recipe yields 60 cookies — assuming you aren’t eating the dough along with the baking…). Nor are you struggling to find a large enough container to store them all (again, assuming you baked all of the dough). Neither are you spending the entire afternoon mixing, baking, and cleaning up the kitchen.

 

The author claims these are 100 of our favorite cookie recipes. I think she did a fine job of giving us a favorite assortment of Drop Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Shaped Cookies, Rolled Cookies, Slice and Bake Cookies, and Holiday Favorites. She also gives us a US/Metric Conversion Chart.

 

The I Love Cookies Recipe Book begins with Cookie Basics, including Equipment and Pans: Essential Equipment, and Not Essential but Nice to Have (I always enjoy looking at the extra fun equipment you might buy). There’s also a segment Gilding the Lily: Decorating Tips, and a small section on Tools for Decorating.

Each recipe is only one page in length — so there aren’t a lot of intricate steps — and also includes nutrition information, since we all recognize how nutritious cookies are for us.

 

( publisher’s official I Love Cookies Recipe Book web page ) | ( publisher’s official Jacquelyn Parkes web page )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: The One-Bowl Baker by Stephanie Simmons

The One Bowl Baker: Easy, Unfussy Recipes for Decadent Cakes, Brownies, Cookies and Breads
by Stephanie Simmons (641.865 Sim)

The conceit of this beautiful little cookbook is that all of the recipes can be accomplished with a single medium or large sized mixing bowl. The author cheats a little bit by having you mix some of the ingredients separately in the glass measuring cups you’ve already used for measuring some of the ingredients, but for the most part, the “one bowl” rule is successful.

 

As hinted at by the gorgeous one-pan chocolate cake shown on the front cover, the emphasis here is on desserts. Simmons breaks up the content of The One Bowl Baker into the following chapters: Cookies for All Occasions, Blondies, Brownies and Bars, Celebratory Cakes and Pies, Crisps, Cobblers and a Pandowdy, Breakfast and Brunch Bites, with two final non-dessert chapters, Savory Bakes and Finishing Touches.

Each recipe, which takes anywhere from 1 to 3 pages, is accompanied by a gorgeous color photo of the finished product (often loaded with a scoop of ice cream). Simmons tries to put a gourmet twist on many of the recipes included, without making it too frou-frou for the average taste palette. Traditional peanut butter cookies become Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint cookies. Krispie Treats become S’mores Rice Krispie Treats. Cinnamon Rolls become Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls.

 

I’ll admit, some of the sweets included here led to a Pavlovian response from me. I would love to try the Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chunk and Pecan Cookies, the Snickerdoodle Blondies, the Salted Caramel Apple Galette, the Caramel Apple Hand Pies, the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cherry Crisp, the Caramel Peach Pandowdy, the Maple Cinnamon Biscuits, the Nutella-swirled Banana Bread and the Best Homemade Soft Pretzels.

Cooking/mixing techniques are simple and straight-forward, and should allow even the casual home cook to turn out high-quality results. Strongly recommended. And if you make the Spiced Cranberry, Pear and Apple Crisp, I want to taste it!

 

( official Stephanie Simmons author page on Amazon.com )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: The Unicorn Cookbook by Alix Carey

The Unicorn Cookbook

by Alix Carey (j641.86 Car)

 

When I saw this one pass by the check-out desk at the library, I knew I had to take a look — my wife loves unicorns!

 

This children’s cookbook is, quite literally, one of the most colorful cookbooks I’ve ever seen. British baker Alex Carey is extremely imaginative in the use of color, sprinkles and other decorations. The cookbook is broken down into numerous categories, with some crossing over between them: Cupcakes, Celebration Cakes, Cookies & Biscuits, Bars and Bites, Party Food, Breakfast, Desserts, and Drinks. Carey creates unicorn horns in several different ways, including through the use of fondant, and by starting with an ice cream cone base.

 

Most recipes are relatively basic, but some feature steps that might be complex for younger bakers. But the book is definitely a feast for the eyes. If you’ve got a youngster who loves unicorns, fantasy, and magic, you’re bound to find some creative ideas for baking and celebrating in this volume. And as an added bonus — the “English accent” of the author comes through in some of the terminology used in the book, adding a bit of fancy flair even to the text.

[ publisher’s official The Unicorn Cookbook web page ] | [ official Alix Carey Twitter feed ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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Book Review: Pie Style: Stunning Designs and Flavorful Fillings You Can Make at Home by Helen Nugent

Pie Style: Stunning Designs and Flavorful Fillings You Can Make at Home

by Helen Nugent (641.865 Nug)

 

Author Helen Nugent was working as an instructional design and technical writer for the pharmaceutical and food industries a few years ago, when she started baking pies. Lots of pies. And sharing photos and commentary about them online. Her elaborately decorated baked goods achieved a following, and now, via her Pie Eyed Girl website, she continues to share her baked goods artistry.

 

Pie Style captures a large number of her more popular pie baking accomplishments, with recipes for home bakers to attempt their own versions of her projects. This book is divided into 8 chapters: The Pie Doughs; Garden Designs; Field and Forest Inspirations; Modern Motifs; Braid, Twist and Weave Patterns; Celebration Pies; Next-Level Pies; and Essential Pie Skills and Decorating Techniques.

 

Nugent’s techniques seem highly elaborate, and may be beyond the ability of average cooks to accomplish. None-the-less, this cookbook is absolutely gorgeous to look at, with most recipes accompanied by a series of photos illustrating the “before”, “after” and “step-by-step assembly process” for each pie. Even if you don’t end up attempting Nugent’s fancy crusts and toppings, you may appreciate the flavorful recipes for pie fillings, both savory and sweet, which you can try with your own choice of crusts, either utilitarian or decorative.

 

Sometimes, a cookbook is simply a work of art. Whether or not you attempt to achieve Nugent’s level of food decorating artistry, you should appreciate looking at the beauty of the pictures in this one!

 

[ official Helen Nugent Instagram account ] | [ Pie-Eyed Girl – the official Helen Nugent web site ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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Book Review: Midwest Made by Shauna Sever

Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking From the Heartland
by Shauna Sever (641.505 Sev)

Just in time for the holidays comes this delightful cookbook that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its traditional recipes for feasts with a Midwest flair! The author spent quite a bit of time researching recipes in the heart of America: everything from Bundt cakes to Brownies have roots that can be traced to the Great Midwest. As a collector of cookbooks and as a fifth-generation Nebraskan, I can appreciate the work that went into finding these time-tested recipes from the ethnic groups that settled this area of the country. Some of my favorite recipes are here, such as Dutch Letters from the Jaarsma Bakery in Pella, Iowa and Danish Kringle from Racine, Wisconsin. For Nebraskans we have Runzas, but with a new twist on the recipe. There are recipes for breads, pies, cakes, cookies and more. Midwest Made is a visual feast for the eyes and is fun to read as well. I highly recommend this book. Happy baking!

[ official Shauna Sever web site ]

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking From the Heartland by Shauna Sever

Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking From the Heartland
by Shauna Sever (641.505 Sev)

Just in time for the holidays comes this delightful cookbook that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its traditional recipes for feasts with a Midwest flair! The author spent quite a bit of time researching recipes in the heart of America: everything from Bundt cakes to Brownies have roots that can be traced to the Great Midwest. As a collector of cookbooks and as a fifth-generation Nebraskan, I can appreciate the work that went into finding these time-tested recipes from the ethnic groups that settled this area of the country. Some of my favorite recipes are here, such as Dutch Letters from the Jaarsma Bakery in Pella, Iowa and Danish Kringle from Racine, Wisconsin. For Nebraskans we have Runzas, but with a new twist on the recipe. There are recipes for breads, pies, cakes, cookies and more. Midwest Made is a visual feast for the eyes and is fun to read as well. I highly recommend this book. Happy baking!

[ official Shauna Sever web site ]

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Beard on Bread

Beard on Bread
by James Beard [641.8516 Bea]

If you ever wanted to make homemade bread, this would be the book to start with. It begins by giving a very through method, complete with illustrations, of bread making from scratch - no machine required. Once you have tried the basic loaf, there are numerous other recipes to try. It even comes with a guide on which breads are best for breakfast, sandwiches, afternoon coffee and so on. Some of the recipes included are the usual sourdough, French, and potato, but also monkey bread, English muffins, cheese bread, and pizza. I would suggest it to anyone interested in adding to their kitchen skills or anyone who loves the smell of fresh bread. [For more do it yourself cooking, try this: Jamie's Food Revolution : Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals - By: Jamie Oliver - 641.55 Oli.] -- recommended by Kristen A. - Gere Branch Library

[Available in both the original 1973 edition, and a 1998 "25th Anniversary" edition..]

[ James Beard page on Wikipedia ]

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A Zombie Ate My Cupcake

A Zombie Ate My Cupcake
by Lily Vanilli [641.865 Van]

This one visually caught my eye on the library's "new book" display shortly after Halloween. The cover illustration, of two candy skull-style cupcakes, is very reminiscent of the traditional confections that are part of the Mexican "Dia de los Muertos" celebration. Opening up the book, though, I was confronted by a wide variety of creepy, gross and somewhat repellent cupcake decorations -- perfect for a spooky party or as an antidote to the standard pink and glittery cupcakes that you'll see in grocery-store baked goods sections. The primary focus of this cute little book is on the decorating -- in fact, there are only seven basic cupcake and frosting recipes in an appendix at the back of the book. Instead, there are 25 nicely-illustrated guides to how to create morbid-looking cupcakes with frostings, sauces and the less-common mediums of fondant and marzipan. In fact, marzipan, the shapeable, clay-like candy, features prominently in many of the recipes -- as worms crawling out of cupcake eyeballs, as zombie fingers crawling out of a chocolate cupcake grave, as human ears on mutant ear cupcakes, as fake insects, and as orbiting planets above Raspberry Spacecakes. My two favorites in the book, at least in terms of how realistic they look in the accompanying photographs, have to be "Shattered Glass", in which shards of candy glass are stabbing into white cupcakes that they bleed cherry sauce, and "Bleeding Hearts", in which red velvet cupcakes and white fondant, molded into the shape of aortas and they coated in thick cherry sauce, look like a frighteningly realistic heart. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [Subscribe to Scott's monthly booklist newsletter It's All Geek to Me! - on the Books, Movies & More newsletter sign-up page]

[ LilyVanilli.com ]
 
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Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home

Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home
by Lara Ferroni [641.865 Fer]

There's nothing quite as satisfying as the guilt-inducing taste of a fresh-made doughnut, be it fried or baked, the traditional round-with-hole, or filled. This book's attractive cover caught my eye on the library's "new books" displays and the thin size convinced me to give it a read. In the first 1/2 of the book, Ferroni presents the basic recipes that form the core of her building palette -- including doughnuts from other cultures, such as crullers and/or sopapillas (just to name a few). The rest of this handy little volume is variations in flavors and textures, including numerous glaze flavors, accompanied by mouth-watered photographs of the end products. She finished off with a bibliography listing sources for special tools and ingredients for the kitchen geeks among us. I'll have to admit, though I love Krispy Kremes, I lean more toward baked doughnuts, and about 1/3 of the recipes here give me inspiration for trying a few new baked doughnuts at home. Recipes that jumped out at me included Margarita, German Chocolate and Creme Brulee! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [Sample Scott's monthly book column!]

[ Doughnuts entries on Lara Ferroni's official blog ]

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Muffins: A to Z

Muffins: A to Z
by Marie Simmons [641.815 Sim]

I saw this earlier this winter on one of the book displays in the library, and colorful cover of this small-sized cookbook grabbed my attention. Filled with 41 muffin recipes (at least one starting with each letter of the alphabet), Muffins: A to Z is a compact, easy-to-follow baking guide for exploring the world of muffins. Reading through all of the recipes, you'll discover a certain commonality about muffin ingredients. However, there's enough variety in the special add-ons -- nuts, fruits, herbs, flavorings -- that there are at least 15-20 different "types" of muffins in this book. None of the recipes are complicated or difficult to prepare. I managed to try three of the recipes before returning the book to the library, and I heartily recommend both the Toasted Almond and Apricot Muffins, and the Fabulous Banana Muffins. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Marie Simmons official A-to-Z Books web site ]

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