Review of the Sweet Life by Kate Zuckerman

books:


	• The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle Kate Zuckerman Bulfinch, 2006 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Yummy, plus Yummy

Getting a cookbook in the mail is like receiving a gift. It is not just a book but an object to display on a coffee table or kitchen counter. It is a gift that gives you a desire to eat, call for a reservation at a fine restaurant or simply stroll the grocery aisles for something delicious. The Sweet Life by Kate Zuckerman is just that gift.

The contents page is easy to navigate. The mouthwatering pictures make you want to throw your apron on and get cooking. I was hesitant because I am not Martha Stewart--a food lover for sure, but not a true cook. I was scared I couldn't recreate any of the recipes to look like the pictures I was drooling over.

I thought I would try the Chocolate Bete Noir. "Dense and creamy, yet light and elegant, this flourless chocolate cake is remarkably versatile; it serves as the basis of many of my plated chocolate desserts at Chanterelle." I thought how hard could this be. The first step after heating the oven, which I am quite capable of, reads: "Using a paring knife, cut down the center of the vanilla bean and scrape out the tiny black seed into a heavy-bottomed saucepan."

Next!! Chocolate chip cookies are more my speed. The recipe for Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies was easy to follow and they turned out fabulous. I will say "two inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet" means two inches apart. Anything less and you have one big cookie.

What I loved about this book was it is educational as well as beautiful. The history of chocolate on page 31 I found very interesting. The Beyond the Basics area with subjects such as "Chocolate and water," and "Cooking caramel successfully" can be a lesson in science as well as cooking. The Technique Tip section of this cookbook is what separates the good cook from the talented chef.

The Sweet Life is a sweet gift for your friend or family member who always impresses you with their skills in the kitchen. Me, I will just make a reservation at Chanterelle and see what I am missing.

Armchair Interviews says: Yummy!

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Great book

I bought this book for my 8 year old daughter and I to bake together. The pictures are great. She can pick out the picture and title and read the ingredients off. I just help with the mixing order. They turn out wonderful. It is our family dessert book. The recipes are easy to understand! and taste fabulous.

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One you'll actually use

I love cookbooks, and my husband and I have tons of them that we mainly read and then occasionally consult for a particular recipe, but there are few that we really use. This will be one of them. It is not only a great and informative book to read, but it has a large collection of recipes that are easy to make even though the author cooks at Chanterelle -- a haute cuisine restaurant if there ever was one. I made the sour cream spiced apple cake this morning to bring to a New Year's Day lunch, and it came out perfectly with nary a hitch. This is one of the best dessert books that I have ever used. I am thrilled to add it to my collection and it will live in the kitchen, not on the bookshelf!

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A wonderful book

We've been using this book since we attended Kate's demo at the New York Chocolate Show. The recipes work perfectly and the scientific explanations are fun. I've made everything that my wife will let a man with high cholesterol cook. I would particularly recommend the various sorbets with fruit and herbs, but it all works! Thank you Kate!

Review of the Sweet Life by Kate Zuckerman

I think the book is well written with many important technical tips.

reviews: page 1, 2

Chanterelle is a beloved, award-winning New York City restaurant that has been critically acclaimed since its founding 25 years ago. A great part of a perfect meal is one of the truly spectacular--yet comforting--desserts.Kate Zuckerman, Chanterelle's pastry chef, creates exquisite treats that draw upon her culinary travels all over the world and her vast experience as a four-star pastry chef in Boston, San Francisco, and New York. The Sweet Life offers not only detailed, delicious recipes for every kind of dessert from tarts and cakes to custards, souffl+s, and frozen desserts, but also in-depth explanations of methods and of chemical changes that occur in baking, along with fascinating histories and descriptions of key ingredients. Zuckerman possesses the remarkable ability to create gourmet desserts that home cooks can actually craft in their own kitchens. Her warm, accessible tone will appeal to both the beginner and the advanced pastry cook. So whether making the Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or the Cardamom and Honey Pistachio Nougat Glac+, readers will know they are in good, capable hands.

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