Sur La Table: Art & Soul of Baking

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Williams Sonoma has long published cookery books for its customers who linger over tableware, linens and festival molds that they'll need to make and serve the recipes. Now, Sur La Table, the Seattle based retailer of cookware and tools is also publishing branded books that tout good technique along with good equipment. These are building block books – the kind you reach for when you want trustworthy technique, uncomplicated directions, and good results. Cindy Mushet's The Art & Soul of Baking (Andrews McMeel 2008) is a clear, comprehensive and approachable book on all aspects of baking from yeast breads to tarts. Hers is not a fancy or new fangled approach according to method, but rather it starts at the beginning with an introduction of technique, ingredients and then leads the reader through classic recipes. The first section, entitled The Baker's kitchen includes advice on Equipment, sourced at Sur La Table of course: Sur La Table built its reputation on high-quality equipment for the home kitchen, purveying tools that not only perform well and last a lifetime, but are also aesthetically pleasing. (p. 5) The chapter goes on to describe every piece of equipment - take Baking Pans (p. 9) and you'll get a description of Aluminum to Glass and Ceramic then Nonstick, Dark or Black, Flexible Silicone and then onto shapes and so on. There aren't exhaustive photographs to go with each category or you might correct in thinking that this was more catalogue of one of the Sur La Table shops rather then a cookbook. Still, if you are starting out and buying equipment for a new kitchen, this list is quite helpful, if a bit overwhelming. Since it is almost Halloween and Thanksgiving, most Americans might first need a good pumpkin recipes. There are plenty, including Pumpkin Walnut Bread (p. 159) an easy recipe for a moist, spicy cake, Pumpkin Pie (p. 186-7) and, Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake (or cupcakes or mini cupcakes) with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting (p. 326). Each recipe has a side bar listing equipment and one about "what the pros know" that includes helpful tips. The book is full of imaginative recipes - the kind you will prepare again and again for anything from bake sales at school to bread for a holiday dinner. The Art & Soul of Baking and Sur La Table's other books would make a great wedding or holiday gifts – along with new knives, pots, pans, and tools, of course. Related articles articles: Sur La Table: Knives Cooks Love Sur La Table: Things Cooks Love Previous articles: [Cookbook reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef