Customer Reviews

Organic and Chic: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets That Taste as Good as They Look

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

ORGANIC AND CHIC: CAKES, COOKIES, AND OTHER SWEETS THAT TASTE AS GOOD AS THEY LOOK by Sarah Magid is AMAZING! It is absolutely one of the most beautiful cookbooks that I have ever seen. As you can see, the cover photo is just filled with incredible looking desserts; and all of the pictures in the book are just like this. I would actually consider placing this cookbook on my coffee table because it's that gorgeous. Plus, I'd kind of like to have it handy because I really enjoyed looking at all of the recipes and decorating ideas.

Not only is this cookbook filled with beautiful pictures, but there are just loads of yummy-looking recipes. The book starts with recipes for cakes and cupcakes (along with frosting, curds, and filling recipes), then it has a section on cookies and bars, a section on reformed junk food, and one on farmers' market sweets. There is another section that will appeal to a lot of moms titled children's goodies which has easy, cute recipes geared towards little ones. The book ends with a wonderful chapter on Ms. Magid's design techniques along with step-by-step instructions.

I was pleasantly surprised by this cookbook not because of its recipes and photos, but rather because the instructions and explanations were so detailed and clear. The recipes and instructions for decorating were extremely easy-to-follow. Now making my cakes as gorgeous as the ones in the book might be a challenge, but I think that's because of my lack of skill and definitely not the fault of the instructions. And since I am not a regular consumer of organic foods, I loved how Ms. Magid explained the benefits of going organic as well as some name brands for organic baking goods. The last few pages of the cookbook also include explanations of various baking tools and how best to use them. I actually learned a great deal just by reading Ms. Magid's advice.

In the 1960s--70's many of the natural food cookbook recipes resulted in heavy products that I threw in the compost pile. Now many years later with the demand for purer food with less additives, Organic and Chic author Sarah Magid has created some fabulous recipes. When her young son wanted Twinkies, she experimented with recipes to create "junk food gone good." She likes her family to eat organic and encourages readers to support the small farms and local farmers' markets. She includes a guide to buying organic ingredients. Her fantastic recipes include step-by-step decorating instructions and inspiration so even the beginner will want to try "cakes, cookies, and other sweets that taste as good as they look."

this is a visually appealing book and full of wonderful recipes. I have a list I want to try. I made the ginger cookies last night and come home from work with the crumbs. This book has recipes to WOW and dazzle while some recipes are amazing for their sweet simplicity! Included a helpful tips. She does incorporate whole wheat flour and raw sugar which is a great baby step toward baking with less refined foods!

My husband and I were so lucky to have Sarah bake and design our wedding cake last May. I heard about her while flipping through a wedding magazine and just fell in love with her style. I noticed that she was from Brooklyn, and living in Brooklyn myself at that time, I thought I'd give it a try and reach out to her. She's not only an amazing baker, but her style and use of creative seasonal/organic ingredients are just outstanding. Since we bought her book, I've tried the "Easiest Chocolate Cake" and "Vanilla Whipped Buttercream" recipes. It was a big hit, even from a novice baker like me. I can't wait to try her other recipes. I would definitely recommend her book to others.

Organic & Chic is a beautifully photographed and designed cook book, with interesting comments on each recipe from the author as well as easy to understand instructions for each recipe. Some of the recipes are a bit complicated or have some ingredients that you would have to search a bit for (gold leaf powder; professional red dye, etc) at a specialty cake or gourmet cooking store, but there is a good mix of recipes for special ocassions and recipes that would be used to bake family treats. But all are focused on organic ingredients, which makes these goodies better for your loved ones.

The 'organic' aspect of this book isn't ground-breaking or even helpful: the author encourages the use of organic dairy, flours, sugars, chocolates, flavors, etc -- but, this is EASY to do by replacing non-organic ingredients from any old baking book with organic versions of the ingredients. Anyone can do this.
What is NOT easy on the organic front is to create stunning and colorful baked goods using organic or even just natural decorating materials, and the author brings absolutely nothing on this front - she employs commercial food dyes (e.g. the FD&C synthetics) and metallic dusts. There are potential natural alternatives to these synthetics (just look up "FD&C" on wikipedia) - it would be great if some one would write about how to successfully employ these alternatives and mix natural colors for cakes even half as beautiful as the author's creations!

What is GREAT about the book is the 'chic' aspect: it lives up to this part well with STUNNING and crowd-pleasing cakes. The recipes are user-friendly and well thought out.

I would have given 5 stars, if it weren't for the minimal-value-add organic aspect: i.e. if the book either didn't bother with organic, or if it truly gave us such beautiful cakes with natural materials. It seems like false advertising when you discover that none of the decorating material that made the cakes on the cover so beautiful were actually organic/natural like the title implies!!

I ordered this book after checking it out from our local library because it is unique and different from all of the other cake books I own. I have added it to my collection and am just waiting for my next request to make a shower or wedding cake to use the ideas in this book. The decorating techniques are different and more modern than a lot of other books I have and have a breezy fun appearance. I love the idea of organic as well but these ideas would work with non-organic ingredients also.

I have to say that I really love this cookbook and I have a lot of them!.The recipes are really good. They are easy to understand and the cake I made came out really good.Everyone loved it. I am excited to make more, especially the "goldies" which are like upscale twinkes!.The pictures are really beautiful. This would also make a great gift!

First, the pictures are absolutely beautiful. The cakes and such are rather fussily (aka you need to actually be Martha Stewart or have the patience of a saint) decorated but they are quite stunning. The cakes themselves (undecorated) are quite reasonable for the average baker with a KitchenAid mixer. The cookies and bars are significantly easier.

As for the organic aspect, yes you can obviously make these recipes with all organic ingredients as intended, or you can just use traditional baking ingredients as well. I know, horror of horrors to the Whole Foods crowd, but not everyone has organic vanilla extract or vegan powdered sugar in one's pantry.

I found a handful of recipes that I'm looking forward to trying (with a mix of traditional and organic ingredients): Chocolate Explosion Cookies, Crispy Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and Easy "Posh" Pudding.

The recipes themselves are quite good and reasonably achievable for most bakers, but the organic aspect can be difficult for some, bringing the rating down from four stars. I would certainly recommend this for bakers, and those particularly interested in an organic lifestyle.

My neighbor loaned me her copy, and I just had to purchase it for myself! Her recipes are relatively easy if you bake some, and there are some great kid friendly recipes as well