Baking 9-1-1

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 1 NOV. 2003

In this thorough, detailed volume for the novice home baker, Phillips notes that"perfection is highly overrated"--and that in baking, it's also hard to come by. A professional baker herself, Phillips has compiled answers to crucial questions about the alchemy of this particular culinary art in a book organized by subject (baking basics, techniques, breads, cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, etc.). She spells out the"kitchen chemistry" behind how ingredients interact and what techniques produce different outcomes. She explains, for example, how sugar acts as a preservative in creamy icings that can be left at room temperature, or how gently folding egg whites (instead of frantically stirring them) into a batter produces a light and fluffy cake. All of the 40 clearly written recipes are the author's own time-tested concoctions, and she includes personal tips in a sidebar called"Sarah Says" (e.g.,"Dough rises best when the top has been rounded and smoothed"). Although she readily answers virtually every imaginable question (either in the book or on her garishly designed but helpful website, baking911.com) in the quest for oven excellence, Phillips reassures would-be bakers that worrying about the outcome of a chocolate cheesecake is a waste of time:"Be yourself and do what you can do--and always pat yourself on the back for trying to make something homemade." A handy resource for the neophyte, and a creative answer to baking emergencies, this basic guide emphasizes the science, rather than the art, of baking.