THE ART OF FINE BAKING

This is a selective collection of European and American recipes in the area of baked goods, with focus primarily on cakes and desserts rather than on breads- a limitation which will curtail the value of the book substantially. The author is an expert in the field who, for the past four years has taught baking at the James Beard Cooking School. Each recipe while explicit enough for the beginner, does not take into consideration things that might go wrong. The tone is positive- rather than admonitory or corrective. Many of the cake recipes give alternate methods and order of preparation according to whether a rotary beater or an electric beater is used. The variety is unusual enough to appeal to the experienced and ambitious housewife. The individual selections seem suitable for special occasions- and there are ingenious suggestions for zesty cocktail hors d'oeuvres. An extra feature is a storage chart, listing the length of time these baked goods can be stored in pantry, refrigerator or freezer.