American Cookie

July 23, 2018
Byrn (the Cake Mix Doctor series) turns her attention from cakes to cookies with 100 delightful recipes, many of which harken to an earlier America. Byrn begins with a “A Baker’s Dozen Cookie-Baking Tips” (e.g., “measure flour by spooning”), as well as advice on stocking a baking pantry and choosing the right pan for the job. Options include snickerdoodles, School Lunch Peanut Butter Cookies, lemon squares, ginger snaps, and icebox wafers made from benne seeds and dating back to 18th-century South Carolina. President-inspired recipes abound, such as Lady Bird Johnson’s Peanut Brittle, Mrs. Nesbitt’s Honey Drops (created by the head of the White House kitchen when Franklin Roosevelt was in office), and Thomas Jefferson Savoy Cakes, which Jefferson wrote down after a trip to France. Literary fans will delight in Emily Dickinson’s Rice Cakes, “shortbreadlike cakes” that her family made in her hometown of Amherst, Mass.; and filmgoers can host a movie night and recreate Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies, which was once printed in the New York Times. Byrn also includes an adaptation of the “1922 Girl Scout Cookie,” buttery creations originally packaged in wax paper and tied with string. Byrn’s cookbook is as enjoyable to read through as it is to cook from.

October 1, 2018

Byrn (American Cake; The Cake Mix Doctor series) explores the origin and significance of several dozen cookie recipes in her latest culinary survey of American foodways. The introduction sets the stage, outlining the basic ingredients and supplies required for the recipes. Sidebars offer baking suggestions and historical notes, and each recipe is introduced with a brief anecdote about its origins. Byrn outlines the characteristics of the "war cookie," often made with rationed ingredients and requiring little in the way of shaping or decoration, as well as the hallmarks of the more ornate fried, candied, and whipped cookies served in times of abundance. Straightforward and clear recipes are grouped into six chapters based on their method of preparation, accompanied by copious photographs and suggestions for simple substitutions or variations. Snickerdoodles, ladyfingers, and the original chocolate chip cookie recipe are represented here, but so are more unusual treats with whimsical names such as Webster cakes, wild persimmon cookies, and Lady Bird Johnson's peanut brittle. VERDICT Anyone who enjoys a little historical context with their recipes and those who have a passion for baking cookies will gravitate to this book.--Rebecca Brody, Westfield State Univ., MA

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