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Baking cookbooks?

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Rahsaan

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Baking cookbooks?

by Rahsaan » Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:04 pm

Does anyone here buy/read baking cookbooks?

I'm looking for a birthday gift for my cousin and she likes to bake so I thought this might be a good idea. She's a pretty competent baker and is probably advanced compared to the general population although far from obsessed like most of us around here.

So she doesn't need one of those comprehensive basic books, but I thought it might be fun to get her something with a unique focus. Any ideas?
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Mark Lipton

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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Mark Lipton » Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:20 pm

Rahsaan wrote:Does anyone here buy/read baking cookbooks?

I'm looking for a birthday gift for my cousin and she likes to bake so I thought this might be a good idea. She's a pretty competent baker and is probably advanced compared to the general population although far from obsessed like most of us around here.

So she doesn't need one of those comprehensive basic books, but I thought it might be fun to get her something with a unique focus. Any ideas?


If she's into bread making (or if you'd like her to be), how about Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread? If you're looking more for patisserie-type baking, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Mark Lipton
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Carl Eppig

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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Carl Eppig » Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:57 pm

A World of Breads, Dolores Casella

The Complete Book of Breads, Bernard Clayton Jr.

Complete Book of Pastry (Sweet & Savory), Clayton

The Art of Fine Baking, Paula Peck

Favorite Breads from Rose Lane Farm, Ada Lou Roberts

Breads and Coffee Cakes (With Homemade Starters), Roberts

Simca’s Cuisine, Simone Beck

All are available online.
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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Robin Garr » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:29 pm

If she really wants to geek out on Euro-style breads, the Peter Reinhart books are a cut above the rest: The Bread Baker's Apprentice and Artisan Breads Every Day.
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Jeff Grossman

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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Jeff Grossman » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:55 pm

Does no one have a book of viennoiserie?
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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Mike Filigenzi » Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:17 pm

For non-bread books, my wife, who is both an accomplished baker and a cookbook collector, recommended the following:

For general baking:
- Anything by Nick Malghieri
- "Baking For All Occasions" or "The Simple Art of Baking", by Flo Braker

For a French take on it: "Paris Sweets", by Dorie Greenspan

For some really creative stuff that is a little more difficult but will get the creative juices flowing:

- "The Sweet Spot", by Pichet Ong
- "The Last Course", by Claudia Fleming

I had to stop her at this point and pull her away from the cookbook stacks...
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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Rahsaan » Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:56 am

Thanks. Lots of good options here!
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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Jenise » Tue Sep 18, 2012 5:24 pm

You say she's fairly advanced, so I'm thinking she might love SPICED, an Anthony Bourdain-like book about the real life of a pastry chef. I haven't read it yet myself but after reading a review of it a few years ago I bought it. (The reading queue isn't going down as fast as it used to.)

http://www.amazon.com/Spiced-Pastry-Stories-After-HoursExploits-Kitchen/dp/B0042P59VO/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Jenise » Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:27 pm

Rahsaan: Here's a brand-spanking new release for you to consider, Baking Out Loud.

http://eater.com/archives/2012/09/20/first-look-hedy-goldsmiths-cookbook-baking-out-loud.php
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Baking cookbooks?

by Rahsaan » Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:08 am

Jenise wrote:Rahsaan: Here's a brand-spanking new release for you to consider, Baking Out Loud.

http://eater.com/archives/2012/09/20/first-look-hedy-goldsmiths-cookbook-baking-out-loud.php


Thanks. That actually could have been a good choice, but I already sent the "Paris Sweets" mentioned above because it connects to France and my cousin - like most people - has such fond memories of all her trips to Paris.

Thanks again to everyone. Such great help!

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