The Violet Bakery Cookbook

Starred review from July 20, 2015
A foreword by Alice Waters touting the talents of Ptak begins this stellar collection from the owner of the London bakery Violet. Ptak worked for Waters at Chez Panisse before moving to England and working as a food stylist and later selling baked goods at a farmers’ market. Her dedication and efforts morphed into a quaint permanent bakery on Wilton Way. The Morning chapter includes muffins , healthful scones (blueberry, spelt, and oat), as well as special morning indulgences including the chocolate croissant bread pudding and a yellow peach crumble cake. Midday features the British-centric “toasties” (a kind of grilled cheese sandwich) popular at Violet, such as the cheddar and green onion with quince jelly, along with savory tarts and quiches. Waters’s own apple galette has its place in the Evening chapter. Ptak’s love of violets comes through loud and perfectly sweet in the violet icing recipe, made with the floral syrup and used to top cupcakes that helped bring the bakery to success. Full-page color photos and the author’s down-to-earth tone will make readers want to dive into this beautiful collection and, perhaps, even plan a culinary visit for some freshly baked treats.

January 1, 2016

Before opening Violet bakery and cafe in East London, pastry chef Ptak honed her skills in some of California and London's best restaurants, including Chez Panisse, Moro, and St. John. In this cozy collection of rustic baked goods from quiches to cupcakes, Ptak teaches readers to prepare simple, ingredient-focused recipes (e.g., buckwheat, apple, and creme fraiche scones; melon granita; chocolate, prune, and whiskey cake) that often feature fresh fruits and vegetables. Visually sumptuous, which is no surprise given Ptak's tenure as a food stylist for chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Simon Hopkinson, her book recalls photo-rich collections like Nigel Slater's Ripe, as well as elegant bakery/cafe cookbooks likened to Rose Carrarini's Breakfast, Lunch, Tea. Recipes are given in metric and U.S. measurements, with the metric appearing first. VERDICT Highly recommended for fans of baking books such as Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson's Tartine and Zoe Nathan's Huckleberry. Aspiring pastry chefs will find inspiration in Ptak's impressive career highlights.

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