A cookbook review....The Village Baker's Wife.

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I stumbled across this cookbook by accident. As a naive 21-year-old girl, I suscribed to the Cooks Book Club (or something like that), one of those services where you get five cookbooks for a penny each, then commit to buying five more within the next two years. As much as I loved and used cookbooks, I figured it'd be worthwhile for me to try it out.

I wrote down this title on my order card since it was all about baking, my favorite niche of cookery overall. When it arrived, I was blown away by how amazing this cookbook really is. It is from an actual bakery in California, successful for years, and the recipes inside are tried-and-true, delectable, carefully-chosen ones....I've yet to make a bad one.

Now, let me preface by saying I haven't tried all of its recipes quite yet. The croissants look somewhat easy, yet I chicken out whenever I am inspired to try them. I aim to do so one day, however.

What I have tried have all turned out ten thousand times better than I could have hoped. These recipe spur the greatest compliments I ever get on my cooking. I once told someone that if stranded on a deserted island and I could only bring 2 things with me culinary-wise, it'd be this book with my KitchenAid mixer.

What's inside? The favorites of mine include their famous Key Lime Pie, Apple Pie, Lemon Lust Bars, Chocolate Macaroons, Fudge Crackles, White-Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Ginger-Molasses Cookies, Lemon-Poppy Seed Cookies, Lavender Shortbread, Mostly Organic Bran Muffins, and the decadent Poppy Seed Cake with Raspberry Whipped Cream Icing (I made this for my own bridal luncheon....delish).

The above selection is just a smigen of what else is within the 300-or-so page book. I give it as gifts. I run to it first when I need a dessert that will make a triumphant statement of some kind. Recently published in a paperback, as well. Go find this book.

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