Customer Reviews

Baking from the Heart: Our Nation's Best Bakers Share Cherished Recipes for The Great American Bake Sale (A Share Our Strength Book to Fight Hunger)

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I really enjoy this book. There is a cinnamon roll recipe in here that is to die for! The homemade oreos are wonderful and fun to make. The stories are interesting to read. There is many recipes in here that I would never make but when there is a book like this with such a variety of recipes, that is bound to happen. I collect baking cookbooks and one of the reasons that I purchased this one is because there is recipes in here that I have not seen in any other book. Very original.

Not merely a book of very fine, home-tested recipes from remarkable bakers, chefs, and pastry makers, but a book to READ, with heartfelt stories of celebrations, holidays, childhood adventures, travels, and tributes. The warmth you'll feel making these recipes does not come from the oven: it's the generosity of these chefs, speaking in very plain and touching language, of their families and friends. These are recipes--cashew brittle, sour cream peach pie, red velvet cake--that not only invite you into the lives of the country's great culinary talents, but also invite you into your own family history. The taste of YOUR family's apple pie, YOUR family's idea of a blueberry cobbler--they come to mind. Baking from the Heart made me cherish my own family's box of recipes all the more. And I found a dozen new treats that I've already added to my family repertoire: Maida Heatter's Key Lime Buttermilk Cake and Karen Barker's Brown Sugar Cheesecake, just to name two.
I heard about this book when I joined The Great American Bake Sale, a fundraiser sponsored by Share Our Strength and Parade magazine that works to fight hunger in this country. Seeing how the 50 chefs in this book have joined in as well--that adds another sort of "icing" on this great cake.

I bought this book as a thank you gift for two friends who love to bake, but after reading through it, I decided I had to have one for myself. The Pumpkin Loaf Cake with Chocolate chips and the Chocolate Rasperry Chess Pie were both delicious and fairly easy to make. I have to say that I've never enjoyed reading a cookbook as much as this one. The stories are so much fun to read. If you like to bake, or want to start baking, you will really enjoy this collection - and knowing that proceeds will go to fight hunger makes it that much better.

I'm not sure what I enjoyed the most - the photos, the recipes or the stories. Like so many people, I've had a love of cooking and fear of baking... until Baking From The Heart. While thumbing through my new copy, I stopped at Mohn Kickle, a poppy seed cookie I grew up eating but hadn't heard of or thought about in 20 years. As I read the introductory story by chef Lora Brody, I couldn't stop laughing as she shares hilarious stories about her parent's culinary skills. I decided to bake something that my 2 1/2 year old would enjoy and settled on David Lebovitz's peppermint patties. We loved them - as did everyone in my office the next day. I felt like such a big shot, making candy at virtually my first baking attempt. I hit a few bumps along the way but in the end, they looked and tasted delicious. Now I want to try literally every recipe in the book starting with the Flan Almendrado.

A beautiful book. Not your average cook book - the contributors to this book share with you where their recipe comes from - most often a family recipe passed down over time. A great gift (especially when paired with Cooking from the Heart) and a great opportunity to support Share Our Strength.

Just in time for the holidays, this book has great recipes for those you love with sweet tooths. My personal favorites are the luscious peppermint patties and the homemade Oreos! Plus, I love the anecdotes by each chef. It makes each recipe much more personal. I love this book and I think you will too.