Hello, Cupcake!

Hello, Cupcake is an adorable cupcake cookbook by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack containing recipes for, as the cover proclaims, "Irresistibly Play Creations Anyone Can Make". I doubt that I could make any of these, you should have seen me attempting to make chocolate chip pancakes for the first time in my life this morning!, but I'm sure I'd have fun trying. OK, I'm not sure about that, what I AM sure of is that this penguin cupcake looks almost too cute to eat. Almost.



If you're looking for a good book that goes beyond pictures and recipes, have you heard about Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously?



Author Julie Powell (pictured above with her book) describes the project:
On the eve of my thirtieth birthday, stuck in a dead-end secretarial job, living in a hideous apartment in Long Island City, Queens, and dreading what seemed like a life of terminal mediocrity, I came up with a panicked notion — to cook through all 524 recipes of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in a year, and blog about it. Julie and Julia describes my efforts to hold on to my job, marriage, and sanity while blazing a nonsensical trail toward fulfillment, with Julia leading the way.

And Time magazine says:
Powell is not a domestic goddess; she's emphatically, unembarrassedly a domestic mortal. But she is also a genuinely gifted thinker and writer about food. As we learn in the account of her culinary marathon, Child's gastronomical masterpiece teaches Powell precious lessons about herself.

Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, if you're interested you might wanna pick it up soon and get started on it before the movie version comes out. Meryl Streep plays Julia Childs. Meryl Streep! Yeah, yeah, I heard about Mamma Mia. I'm sure this will be better.

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart is so spectacular that we are recommending not one, but two fabulous Martha Stewart books.




Martha Stewart Cookies is a must have for the home baker. The cookie recipes are categorized by type and texture. The recipes cover standard classics and modern more creative flavors. And each cookie is recipe is accompanied by a photo so you can see if your finished product measures up.
4 out of 5 macaroons.

Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes isn't for the everyday, at home baker, but is a great resource for both the Bride and Baker. If you're the adventurous baker however, go for it. Martha and co-author Chef Kromer give detailed instruction along with photographs of each cake. This book is also helpful for anyone wanting to get more involved in or strengthen their cake decorating skills. On top of all that, it's a beautiful book to look at.
5 out of 5 fondant flowers.

My Life In France by Julia Child

Julia Child refers to her time in France as a period of awakening in which she was led to her "true calling". This book is a memoir of sorts, put together by Julia's nephew Alex Prud'homme from Julia's journal entries and conversations the pair had with each other in her later years. An interesting look at a woman whose life was so much more than food and television.
You can read the NY Times review here.

The Armchair James Beard

Anyone who watches Top Chef has probably heard the name James Beard before. This is one truly incredible chef. Known as both the Father of Gastronomy and the Father of American Style Cooking, James Beard has been at the top of the culinary scene since he first brought French cooking to Americans in the 1950s. Time Magazine deemed the James Beard Awards the "Oscars of the food world," and past winners include Mario Batali, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, and Rick Bayless.
To get to know Beard best, one must start at the start with The Armchair James Beard.

A Must Have for your library: 5 out of 5 cupcakes!

Mmm. Cupcakes.
This book is recommended not only for the great photos and layout, but also because the recipes contain basic ingredients and easy to follow instructions. This book is especially useful for novices. Maybe you don't bake normally, but your all about the latest cupcake craze? Well then, if the recipes throughout the book seem somewhat tricky, flip to the back where you can find step-by-step instructions for beginners. This book also contains icing recipes. Author Pamela Clark has over 30 years in the baking industry, and runs her own test kitchen. Note: This book is published by Barnes & Noble, so you may have difficulty finding it elsewhere.

This book gets 5 of out 5 cupcakes for mouth-wateriness, and another 5 out of 5 cupcakes for detailed recipe instruction.

Wild Sweets: Chocolate

This phenomenal and cutting edge cookbook features the best of the best when it comes to sweet & savory cuisine. World renowned chocolatiers Dominique and Cindy Duby present mind-blowing, awe-inspiring creations that will leave you convinced chocolate and pork are a winning combination.
Christy loves this book so much, she gives it 5 out of 5 cupcakes!
To get to know the Duby's and what they do better, check out the following youtube clip!