Published: Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Crank up the oven: "The Art & Soul of Baking"
Beat it: The latest batch of cookbooks offers plenty of inspiration to get you in the mood for baking.
If you buy just one new baking book this season, make it "The Art & Soul of Baking" by Cindy Mushet and Sur la Table. Gorgeously illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, the book covers everything from essential equipment (after all, Sur la Table is a kitchen supplies retailer) and pantry staples to chapters on savory breads, quick breads, tarts, pies, cookies and cakes, to name just a few.
The recipes are exceedingly detailed and include do-ahead tips, notes on equipment needed, advice on storing the finished treats and suggestions for variations. Reading this is a pleasant and enticing baking education.
"The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book" by the editors at America's Test Kitchen is also a must-have for bakers. It's jammed with tips, test kitchen reviews, more than 700 recipes, and the usual highly opinionated and highly useful musings of the America's Test Kitchen staff, the folks behind Cook's Illustrated magazine.
Recipes with challenging steps often are accompanied by a series of how-to photos, and those suitable for beginner bakers are nicely flagged.
Though similar ground is covered in both books (and with similar attention to detail), the "Family Baking Book" has more of a homespun feel. Mushet's book reads more like an ode to artisanal-style baking. Both are great but will appeal to different readers.
Associated Press
If you buy just one new baking book this season, make it "The Art & Soul of Baking" by Cindy Mushet and Sur la Table. Gorgeously illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, the book covers everything from essential equipment (after all, Sur la Table is a kitchen supplies retailer) and pantry staples to chapters on savory breads, quick breads, tarts, pies, cookies and cakes, to name just a few.
The recipes are exceedingly detailed and include do-ahead tips, notes on equipment needed, advice on storing the finished treats and suggestions for variations. Reading this is a pleasant and enticing baking education.
"The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book" by the editors at America's Test Kitchen is also a must-have for bakers. It's jammed with tips, test kitchen reviews, more than 700 recipes, and the usual highly opinionated and highly useful musings of the America's Test Kitchen staff, the folks behind Cook's Illustrated magazine.
Recipes with challenging steps often are accompanied by a series of how-to photos, and those suitable for beginner bakers are nicely flagged.
Though similar ground is covered in both books (and with similar attention to detail), the "Family Baking Book" has more of a homespun feel. Mushet's book reads more like an ode to artisanal-style baking. Both are great but will appeal to different readers.
Associated Press
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