The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress Free Strategies for Busy People 
asked by astrofizzy on November 18, 2006 6:53 PM
What's a weekend baker? "Anyone who loves to bake, but gets tripped up feeling that it's too time consuming," writes Abigail Johnson Dodge in The Weekend Baker, her collection of 100-plus recipes for a wide range of sweet and savory baked goods. Formulas for the likes of Gingered Shortcakes with Jumbled Fruit, Soft Chocolate-Almond Oatmeal Cookies, and Chocolate-Banana Swirl Cake are immediately attractive, but the great value of Dodge's book lies in its organization, which takes readers from the simplest and quickest projects--"Baker's Express"--through "Baking in Stages," and finally "Productions," fuller-dress items like Four-Layer Carrot Cake and Overnight Brioche Braid; these are, nevertheless, well within the average baker's skill. In a world of baking books that offer the simplest and most traditional recipes only, or assume that readers have the time and technique to create multi-element extravaganzas, The Weekend Baker stands apart. Its approach is realistic without sacrificing good taste or recipe integrity. Dodge includes tips that cover familiar ground--get to know your oven, and the lik--but also offers, for example, "Bake It and Stow It," a detailed guide to storing sweets. Features like "Do-Aheads," and "Got Extra Time?," usefully further Dodge's quick-and-delicious approach. (She's also pleasingly droll; a really rich brownie is dubbed "prescription-strength."). With color photos, the book is a real addition to the harried baker's library. --Arthur Boehm
Reviews
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I was working on a project that required multiple baked goods. In my search for a variety, I checked out several baking books from the library. Once my project ended, I had fallen in love with only one book and discovered I had to have the book for my own personal use. That book was, "The Weekend Baker" by Abigail Johnson Dodge.
Now, I'll be honest there are 3 things that I think you should consider if you are considering buying this book.
1. This is a hard bound book, which makes it slightly challenging to keep open on your counter as you work throught he recipe. A couple of #10 cans will easily help you out but it is a bit annoying.
2. This book is said to be for those who love to bake but struggle to find the time. While I agree, I think we forget that there are a lot of people who "love to bake" yet assume baking means boxed cake/brownine mixes, premade pie crusts or frozen cookie dough - it is important to note that this book is for people who love to bake FROM SCRATCH and are too busy. (My friend was disappointed in the book when she discovered Abigail is NOT Sandra Lee!)
3. Further to my note in #2, if you are baker who relies on photo images to assure your finished result is correct, you may be disappointed. While the photos that are in the book are fabulous they are sparse and not available for every recipe.
That being said; The Ginger Snaps on the cover are fabulous! I now have a friend that expects the Banana Cake with Fudgy Frosting every year for his birthday and in a recent search for the perfect "shortcake" this book provided the winning recipe! A wonderful book!
Now, I'll be honest there are 3 things that I think you should consider if you are considering buying this book.
1. This is a hard bound book, which makes it slightly challenging to keep open on your counter as you work throught he recipe. A couple of #10 cans will easily help you out but it is a bit annoying.
2. This book is said to be for those who love to bake but struggle to find the time. While I agree, I think we forget that there are a lot of people who "love to bake" yet assume baking means boxed cake/brownine mixes, premade pie crusts or frozen cookie dough - it is important to note that this book is for people who love to bake FROM SCRATCH and are too busy. (My friend was disappointed in the book when she discovered Abigail is NOT Sandra Lee!)
3. Further to my note in #2, if you are baker who relies on photo images to assure your finished result is correct, you may be disappointed. While the photos that are in the book are fabulous they are sparse and not available for every recipe.
That being said; The Ginger Snaps on the cover are fabulous! I now have a friend that expects the Banana Cake with Fudgy Frosting every year for his birthday and in a recent search for the perfect "shortcake" this book provided the winning recipe! A wonderful book!
reviewed by dataworld on November 22, 2006 8:04 PM
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If I had to keep one baking cookbook this would be it. The recipes are fabulous, easy and always fetch rave reviews. It is a definate asset to both the experienced and novice baker's kitchen.
reviewed by pits on November 23, 2006 6:42 AM
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I'm a cookbook junkie on a short bookshelf leash so when I found out about this book, I checked it out of my library before I grabbed my checkbook just in case I was being lead astray by another pretty cover. Boy, did I underestimate this book! If you have an interest in baking, buy this book, buy it now, buy it for baking friends! I did.
It looks like a simple list of recipes that you probably already have in any number of other baking books, and really it is, but what makes this book so useful is that it's like all the best recipes in those books are condensed into one easy to read, easy to follow and easy to grab reference. It saves me time not because of any earth-shattering shortcuts, but because I don't have to sift through 10 baking books to find a recipe I want to make or spend time figuring out how I can spread out the recipe over time -- that's already done. And the author is fabulously reassuring that yes, you can do this if you have a few minutes, and yes, it will be worth it!
My only complaint: an index of recipes at the start of the three main chapters would make finding a particular recipe even quicker. Currently, I have to mark them with post-it flags, making my book look like it's eating a tibetan prayer flag.
Thanks for putting the fun back in baking!!
It looks like a simple list of recipes that you probably already have in any number of other baking books, and really it is, but what makes this book so useful is that it's like all the best recipes in those books are condensed into one easy to read, easy to follow and easy to grab reference. It saves me time not because of any earth-shattering shortcuts, but because I don't have to sift through 10 baking books to find a recipe I want to make or spend time figuring out how I can spread out the recipe over time -- that's already done. And the author is fabulously reassuring that yes, you can do this if you have a few minutes, and yes, it will be worth it!
My only complaint: an index of recipes at the start of the three main chapters would make finding a particular recipe even quicker. Currently, I have to mark them with post-it flags, making my book look like it's eating a tibetan prayer flag.
Thanks for putting the fun back in baking!!
reviewed by glenn11 on November 26, 2006 1:08 AM
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Being an avid baker I have just about all decent dessert cookbooks.
I recently took a class given by Ms. Dodge and purchased the book, it's outstanding. Simple, quick, easy to do ahead and *hold* for completion in 1-3 days. Having company? Start the dessert on Friday, finish on Saturday or Sunday. Spend time with your guests, not in the kitchen.
Just an all-around terrific book. I strongly recommend it.
I recently took a class given by Ms. Dodge and purchased the book, it's outstanding. Simple, quick, easy to do ahead and *hold* for completion in 1-3 days. Having company? Start the dessert on Friday, finish on Saturday or Sunday. Spend time with your guests, not in the kitchen.
Just an all-around terrific book. I strongly recommend it.
reviewed by miceandmen on November 29, 2006 7:13 AM