Baking: From My Home to Yours
by Dorie Greenspan
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Book Reviews of Baking: From My Home to Yours
Book Review: Almost Perfect
Summary: 5 Stars
Now here's a baker after my own heart - Dorie Greenspan writes, "Some woman collect diamonds, I collect mixing bowls." After achieving a Doctorate in Gerontology some thirty years ago, Greenspan decided that she really wanted to bake - and bake, and bake, and bake - and bake she did - and still does, almost every day.
This is a marvelous book (I give it 4.5 stars) - cogently written with great style and clarity. Greenspan walks you through each step as if she were standing with you in the kitchen - and there's not a hint of pretense. So many cookbooks - pastry volumes in particular - have an almost punitive tone: "NEVER do this"; "ALWAYS do that". While the chemistry of baking must be respected, I have never seen the benefits of terrifying the reader or quashing one's creativity. You'll find none of that in this tome (save for the admonishments regarding the purity of butter). Greenspan is friendly, approachable, and forgiving. Her own fearlessness, mistakes, and inventiveness have inevitably led to better results. No knuckle-rapping here! You'll feel as if you're baking with an old friend. If you're a fan of the great Maida Heatter, you'll appreciate Dorie Greenspan.
The recipes are more comfort desserts than elegant showstoppers (although the "Peppermint Cream Puff Ring, based on the famous "Paris-Brest" pastry certainly has the glam factor) - but any of them would be welcome at almost any gathering - from a family picnic to a black-tie celebration. The text fonts are readable, the layout friendly and navigable, and the photographs gorgeous (although some are titled and others are not). The permanent hard cover is identical to the dust cover and can be wiped clean. Many of the recipes contain a handy sidebar entitled "Playing Around", giving alternative presentations and flavor variations, and serving and storing instructions are always included. The page on "Mastering Meringue" will help assure success every time. A "Glossary of Ingredients, Tools, and Techniques" appears at the end of the book that even seasoned bakers will find helpful.
There are a few inconsistencies. The "Table of Contents" is too broad (although the "Index" is easy on the eyes). A book on home baking ought to include at least some basic yeast bread recipes. Outside of "Brioche", "Raisin Bread", "Sticky Buns", and "Kugelhoph", there are none. This is really a "Dessert" book (including recipes for ice cream), not an all-purpose baking book, although there appears to be something for everyone in this collection of more than 300 recipes. No mention is made of the value of Magic-Cake strips, which eliminate the doming problem so often associated with layer cakes. In the instructions for "Lavender Madeleines", Greenspan does not specify whether the tablespoon of edible lavender should be dried or fresh. In her recipe for "Perfect Party Cake", the accompanying Buttercream frosting does not mention the need for the egg whites to reach 160 degrees. Although an explanation is given in the back of the book, redundancy is a plus when food safety is an issue. Overall, this is just nitpicking, however. This is really one nifty book written by a pro who loves to bake - and teach it as well.
With rare exception (edible gold dust, chestnut puree) recipe ingredients are easy-to-find items already in your pantry. Chestnuts and chestnut puree can be had in large metropolitan areas (Whole Foods, Sur la Table, Williams-Sonoma, Trader Joe's, King Arthur Catalogue) at holiday time and edible gold dust (an optional component) can be mail-ordered through the Internet. One obvious miss: there's no "List of Sources" for equipment and ingredients - unusual for a volume of this heft and depth. Greenspan refers to "bakers' supply shops" but doesn't list them.
Whether you're a beginner or an old-hand in the kitchen, you'll love this volume of goodies. My own cookbook collection is substantial, but there are many books and authors I reject. This baby is a keeper and would make a wonderful and much appreciated shower, wedding, birthday, or Christmas gift.
One caveat: This is a big, heavy book. The trend these days is to manufacture books that can double as doorstops. Baby boomers who are developing arthritis don't seem to be a consideration with today's publishers. Gloss and semi-gloss enamel papers are heavy, too. Beautiful as they are, these Goliaths ought to be saved for the coffee table. I like to actually use my cookbooks - and lugging them around is getting to be a chore.
Book Review: OUTSTANDING!!
Summary: 5 Stars
There is no other word for this work of art for all the "little" people of the baking world who don't have restaurant-grade kitchens yet want to bake as if they do!!
Dorie Greenspan is my brand new baking buddy!! The way that she speaks to you as you're reading the recipe introduction, you feel as if she's right in the kitchen with you, right next to you, just talking and spending the time showing you a fabulous recipe that will make you feel like a baking diva (or divo)!! I think that it's the secret to her incredible success and since she's written over nine books, you got to figure that she knows what she's doing.
I first learned of Dorie specifically when she worked with Julia Child in making "Baking with Julia"; probably my favorite Julia book. The character of her writing is that of someone who has come to know and love the kitchen as much as yourself. She seems to gravitate to baking and make it as much a love of art as it is a love of creating. No wonder that you feel so comfortable attempting these desserts since Dorie makes them so accessible without feeling the need for intense training or bizarre ingredients.
The book itself is a grand adventure, as is its size; big and sturdy and printed just right with smooth pages holding glossy photographs and temptng treats of what will be; they are large and detailed so you know what to expect.
Her book is broken into:
Introduction
Breakfast Treats
A Cache of Cookies
Cakes of All Kinds (this was by far the BEST chapter; these are awesome with the "Celebration Cakes" called Devils Food White-out, Perfect Party Cake, Big Carrot Cake, Cocoa Buttermilk Birthday Cake, Black and White Chocolate Cake, Tirmisu Cake, Berry Surprise, Chestnut Cake, Amaretti Torte, Chocolate Armagnac Cake, Ice Cream Torte, Peppermint Cream Puff Ring, Coconut Roasated Pineapple Dacquoise, etc)
Pies and Tarts
Spoon Desserts
Indispensables (basic recipes)
A Dessert Makers Glossary of Ingredients, Tools, and Techniques
I would love to print every recipe in this book but the index alone is over 17 pages of luscious and decadent desserts!! So for an example, I give you "The Perfect Party Cake" on page 250. Holy cow!! Wow!! More adjectives please!! It turned out EXACTLY as she promised and when you are first hit with the visual impact of this cake, you realize how important the right photography style is to any cookbook author. To feel that something that gorgeous can come from your kitchen and to actually be able to make it, does wonders for your zeal for baking. Every luscious layer of fluffy white cake that is followed by a delicate, thin layer of raspberry filling followed by fluffy frosting, you see it begin to take shape and height. You wonder if it really will be as good as it looks. But as you get to the end of the layers and you put on that last layer of frosting, then cover it in snow-flaked fresh coconut, you realize that you are one awesome baker and Dorie will be your new best baking buddy too!! It was a hit for its beauty and taste because when you cut into that first piece and see it in its red and white party glory.....wow!!
Yes, I just a recipe but is Michelangelo's "David" just a piece of clay to art lovers? Baking makes you want to please the eyes as well as the palate and if you want to do it right, you want to learn from those who are the masters. Dorie is just that, but without all the pretensions and fanfare. She just loves to bake and this book is the epitome of her passion.
Dorie, Julia will always be the Queen Mother of the kitchen, but your pedestal is right by hers!! Thanks!!
Book Review: What a beautiful book of accessible desserts!
Summary: 5 Stars
Having never previously baked, I "met up" with Dorie's cookbooks after attending a book-signing presentation of her previous delight -- "Paris Sweets," after which I immediately wanted to go home and dust off the Kitchen-Aid! As a lover of lemon desserts, my first attempt was that book's "Whole Lemon Tart," which required a sweet tart dough that also appears in "Baking..." Not only was this first attempt of mine especially delicious (it has become an oft-requested favorite of family and friends), but the tart shell came out so well, so beautiful and flaky and perfect -- for which I have Dorie's clear and careful explanations as much as her recipe to thank -- that I immediately wanted to bake, bake, bake. Alas, that spawned several thousand dollars worth of new stove, oven and assorted other kitchen renovations, but also many more wonderful baked desserts, each of which I'm tempted to exclaim over, but that was another book (check it out!).
So I eagerly sought out "Baking - From My Home To Yours" as soon as it became available. I can't say enough nice things about this book. For starters, the photographs that were absent in "Paris Sweets" (though Dorie's colorful and ever-present anecdotes and enthusiastic descriptions delight the senses perfectly well without them) -- those photographs are here in eye-candy spades! There are so many great-sounding delights in this book, that the truly beautiful photographs may help focus your first few choices. I started with the Cranberry Upside Downer for Thanksgiving. Once again, with Dorie's easy-going guidance, the result was a creation as beautiful as the one in the photograph, and every bit as tasty as it looked. Then I set out to make Lemon Sablés (absent-mindedly, sans lemon), and Dorie's now seemingly-famous -- and very special! -- World Peace Cookies ("Korovas" in Paris Sweets). Oh, soooo good! Both were perfect -- and perfectly beautiful! And "Baking..." has a quicker and just-as-good variation on the sweet tart dough mentioned above.
And wait 'til you taste the Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake! One look at the photo and you'll understand why you must try it. But don't let the absence of a photo stand between you and the Caramel Pumpkin Pie -- the best pumpkin pie -- by far! -- I've ever tasted, and an excellent example of that element of Dorie's style that makes things that could be tricky come out exactly as they should.
The sum of that style, and the clear unintimidating explanations, and the delightful anecdotes liberally sprinkled throughout, and the inviting idea of "Playing Around" variations, equals an easy accessibility of a huge range of homey -- as well as party-worthy -- desserts. For casual baking with exceptional results, it's hard to imagine a better companion, regardless of your level of experience.
I recommend getting two -- one you can get butter stains on, the other for the coffee table!
Book Review: Variety of recipes but lacks technique descriptions
Summary: 4 Stars
I have MANY cookbooks, including many baking books. This is probably one of the easier baking books to use, with simple directions and easy-to-follow steps. That said, I have some reservations.
Having attempted many of her recipes (mostly cookies and quick breads), and having drooled over the remainder, I agree that the book presents a extensive variety of simple, relatively easy recipes (and variations), which range from faithful standbys to more unusual creations. Her book is not for the total novice baker, however. Though she provides step-by-step recipes, she only provides detailed explanations of some underlying principles at the beginning of major sections (e.g., Pound cakes). In contrast to the Cook's Illustrated baking cookbook, she does not explain why she recommends certain actions or alternate methods. This lack is of particular concern because some of her more unusual techniques have varying degrees of success. For example, for quick breads she recommends putting the filled pan on a baking sheet. She does not explain why this should be done. (In contrast, in the bundt pan overview section she explains why you should NOT use this technique for bundt pans, and in another section she recommends putting the pans on insulated baking sheets to prevent over baking of the bottom.) You can infer from her comments throughout the entire book (but not by reading just the quick bread section alone) that the plain old baking sheet method is a half-step towards the insulated baking sheets with a similar goal. But the uncertainty is a problem since the baking sheet technique seems to create problems in some recipes! For more than one recipe, I have found that the baking sheet technique slows down the baking process and extends the necessary baking time significantly, but her recipe does not accommodate this necessary extension. In fact, the timing in her recipe seems directed towards the usual (no baking sheet) method. Without an accurate estimate of the appropriate baking time, the baker must carefully monitor the cooking process and allow for more baking time than planned. For the Chocolate Gingerbread recipe, after 15 minutes longer than the total baking time allotted in the recipe, I took the baking sheet out of the oven and allowed the pan to finish baking for another 10 minutes. As a result, this recipe took 25 minutes longer to bake than I had planned.
Book Review: Buyer Beware: Preview it first.
Summary: 2 Stars
I wanted to love this book, I really did. Reviews were incredibly positive, and Greenspan has been so reliable in her past work. The buzz was so good that I almost bypassed my strict rule for cookbooks: a preview period with a library copy. Thank goodness I didn't.
The book itself is quite beautiful. Large, coffee-table size with nice thick paper and gorgeous photos. But upon closer inspection too many recipes just didn't appeal. Part of this reaction can be chalked up to personal taste: with so many recipes containing nuts (about 80%, and I'm a nuts-optional gal), too big a section on brownies or apple recipes, odd combinations of chocolate with various fruits and spices, and the presence of particular spices I'm not crazy about in desserts, like cardamom and coriander.
There were also some pet peeves in the format of the book. For instance, no readily found equipment list within each recipe. Instead, you must read the entire copy of the recipe to figure out ahead of time what size pan you will use (you can't just skim either) or what kitchen electric to have on hand. And although the photos included are beautiful and large, more than half the recipes have no picture or illustration at all, to tempt nor to instruct. There are at least 5 recipes that require "store-bought dulche de leche."
The proportion of recipes is decidedly lopsided, heavy on some categories like brownies and apple tarts/pies but light on others like breads and variety of fruits. Only one recipe using puff pastry, none using phyllo. No savories at all. And despite the Baking title, there are plenty of non-baking recipes like puddings and custards. And what's up with the ice cream section?
Bottom line, there just weren't that many recipes that called to me. Certainly not for the hefty price and size of this book, nor too many recipes that weren't already covered by my other baking and dessert books. Definitely preview the book, perhaps from your local library, before you buy.