A Passion for Baking was just the fix I needed!
931511
What a fantastic cook book.  The tips are amazing, the photos are outstanding and the recipes are "to die for".  The writer knows what she's talking about and you can tell she loves to bake.  I have more than 3,000 cookbooks but this is one of my all time favorites.  Well worth the money, especially the Amazon price!  Enjoy.
1261428
It fixed my mixer so I do not have to purchase a new one!!
4932496
My baking sheets and cutting boards are now accessible!  I can get one out without having to move everything else.
1520608
Roisin Meaney may be a name that is new to those of us in North America, but she is not a stranger in Ireland where this book was previously published.

Meaney definitely knows how to bake up a tasty story from scratch. The fact that it was set in a small, idyllic town in Ireland was just the frosting on the cupcake!

Hannah's life goes from one extreme to the next in just a few moments. Hannah wasn't sure what to do or where to go. Thankfully, she has a wonderful friend in Adam. He knew just the right words to say to get her motivated to get back up again.

I really loved this charming little town and all its inhabitants. We get to learn so much about them.

I know that Roisin Meaney is being moved up to the top of my authors to watch list! I can't wait for more books to finally be exported here!

In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.
1388649
I'm sooo in love! I am a very serious baker. I use over 29 grains, nuts, seeds for baking. I buy organic, non gmo, whole grain & have a beautiful mill for grinding grains & nuts. I add fruits, which I grow & dehydrate, eggs from chcken geese, ducks & turkeys that I raise, free range &'organic. I make my butter, I have a large brick oven. I'm in love w/ bread baking. This book is a beautiful addition. I'm thrilled. Despite the few omissions/ editing errors, I can easily "figure out the recipes."  I love weighing ingredients for accuracy as humityn& weather changes etc, greatly effect the performance of flour. Weight is the best way to insure accuracy & quality. I love seeing grains that I have been using for years featured, as quinoa, spelt, millet. I love Einkorn as it has a lovely gluten which is tolerated by many gluten intolerant people. Gluten free makes me scream!  The problem is the modification of whets commercially resulting in gluten intolerance, thus the reason I use ancient grains like einkorn.

This bread is such a delight. Sourdough is the healthiest bread & I keep about 6 starters going all the time, soft wheat, einkorn, spelt, rye & white. All provide delightful tastes. It is very difficult to,find fresh yeast, if u need it, u may want to ask ur grocer to get it for u. Usually that works.

I love the chapter on shaping. I can always improve my technique & love different forms & equipment for shaping & designing patterns on my bread. For instance, I have developed a fun loaf. I make 3/4 loaves of bread, I.e., rye sourdough, white sourdough, a beautiful fruit/nut bread to be served vow/ cheeses, etc. as long as the bake times are the same, I have a very long loaf pan. I make smaller loaves of each type, shape them as loaves, puthem in the long pan allowing room for final proofing. I then put the pan in the brick oven & bake off the breads. For the family who loves variety but doesn't want to buzz 4 or more regular loves, they have one "pull apart"  loaf w/ 4 flavors. Fun.

Also as you bake more, a recipe can become a guide on an amazing, creative journey. You begin to develop a feel for the dough  & know instinctively when it is "right." I love the different proofing methods, & the cold proofing is my favorite. I love the texture from a slow rise & the flavor development. It's all in here. Very comprehensive & a great price on Amazon! So happy!

Update:  Great news! Amazon now offers fresh yeast! It is not delivered by Amazon, but does have free shipping. So even better for all who want to make these fabulous recipes! I've ordered mine!
3862515
I do a lot of baking and made a double batch of pumpkin bread at a time; however, the bowl only allowed me to make a single batch at a time so I ordered another bowl and problem solved.
3149715
One day our baking element went out on our oven. I looked it up by model number on Google and it directed me to Amazon - I had no idea Amazon sold more than books, magazines, etc. I not only found my part, but also watched a video on how to change it by myself!

I received the part in about a week and had it changed out within 15 minutes!

Thanks Amazon, for making my life easier!!
1454086
I've had a little bit of experience with baking bread, but not more than a simple sandwich grain bread and cinnamon buns on occasion. I must say, that people complaining about poor direction, bad recipes etc are probably rushing through the process.

I just made the baguette bread (which was reasonably complicated for me as someone who has only proofed in a water, sugar, yeast capacity)and it came out amazingly. Great flavor and texture with a crispy outside and soft and airy inside (large bubbles, which I've never gotten before).I loved how she broke the ingredients into ordered sections that relate to the cooking steps. She laid out the time frames of each step, how long to proof, what it should look like, and how to shape, knead, and bake it. For heaven's sake, she gave you a schedule from 830PM the night before all the way to the finish at 730 PM the next day! How much more description could you require for a successful recipe?

Her recipes (like all good bread recipes) require your time and patience. If you don't have the time or the patience, then don't bother. One thing to note, is a food scale would be very helpful. One ingredient for the bread I made was salt at 3/16 of a teaspoon, which is hard to measure unless you use a food scale for the grams she provided.

I love this book.
2699529
This book taught me, someone who traditionally burns everything I bake, a whole lot about baking! My kid loved the recipes, helping me make things, and the Little Hands suggestions were so helpful when I was trying to think of ways to help him be more involved without the fear of cutting himself! The Mini hand pies were awesome; the only problem was convincing my kid to wait until they cooled before chowing down! I loved the pretzels and dipping sauce; I cant wait until ingredients are more seasonal before making some of the muffins!
213530
This book not only re-ignited my joy of cooking & baking, but it showed me that it is also alright to enjoy the foods I make. Lori's compassion, confidence and eloquence shines in this book.
4431981
Calphalon Classic Bakeware 10-inch round nonstick angel food cake pan was exactly what I needed. I have a Jewish Apple Cake that I make, and I needed this type of pan. I had to give away my old pan and get a new one because I have Celiac Disease. Anything that had flour in it had to be given away. It has been a long process. I could not find this pan locally. I tried making the cake in a 2 piece angel food pan. What a mess! It leaked out the bottom all over the place. So, I love my new pan. It solved the problem and works wonderfully!
1061290
I have been looking for many years for a baking text that explains the chemistry and reasons for the exact measurements required to obtain an excellent cake or bread.

Chef Sokol has answered my questions and more! Her instructions are precise and easy to follow and the illustrations are very well done. I am especially impressed on the section on presentation and plating of her exquisite desserts.

As I was studying the various recipes my mouth was watering in contemplation of creating her wonderful cupcakes and breads.

This book fills, a here to fore, vacant niche in libraries of baking and culinary books, and should be on the shelf of anyone serious about cooking, baking or fine foods. A 5+Star Book
924630
My experiences with baking is minimal at best, but basing it on what I used prior to this pastry board (rolled up teflon coated board and my quartz countertop), it makes a big difference!  The size is excellent (it basically negated the need to replacing the countertop on my kitchen island with marble) and the heft (though some reviewers found it daunting) ensures that with proper care, this will last awhile.  Initially I used it to make pie crust and, not only did it turn out well, but not having to powder the top with flour so often was outstanding and less frustrating.  I started venturing towards making home made pasta and that was a breeze, making bread was also simple.  Overall, this is an excellent product for the price and if you worry about storage due to its size, I have it on a vertical stand taking up little space on my kitchen counter.
1106151
Non stick baking! dishwasher (person) is happier lol
4311714
I recently saw an ad in Food and Wine magazine about the Georgetown Bakery and Cupcake Diaries book. I went to the bakery web site and loved "seeing" every cupcake with just a click. I knew then I had to have this book. Unlike a cookbook where you flip through and look at the sections that appeal, this is a beginning to the end read. I enjoyed the stories of the sisters growing up with their loving family. Took me back to some of my own memories. In the past 40 years of my own love of baking I still had many unanswered questions, like why are eggs added one at a time and why alternate dry and wet 2 or 3 times, why "do not over beat." All of these questions were answered for me in just 30 pages. I also liked how each step is numbered with clear directions. The first recipe I tried was Pumpkin Spice cupcakes with Maple cream-cheese frosting. The cake was light and delicious and I almost skipped the frosting...so glad I didn't because it too whipped up light and fluffy and so easy. Loved the story of Georgetown cupcake opening on Valentines day. They sold 500 cupcakes in 2 hours. I bought a second book to send to a friend. She will love it!
3615546
I was so excited to find this because I love to preserve summertime's bounty, but I have a small family and can't justify making jams, jellies and marmalades in the amounts that usual recipes call for and it seemed like a daunting all day project at the end of which I would have to find enough friends to give away the excess jam to.  This little book told me exactly what to do to produce "just enough" and now I cannot wait until berries are in season so I can make my own jam!

Well written, linkable table of contents, spellchecked, grammarchecked, none of the annoyances found in so many indy publications.  Great job, thank you!
3421087
I really liked it! The recipes actually helped me a lot baking. The pictures are great and the recipes delicious. Until now, I tried cooking some of them and everybody loved it!