Stacy Adimando - The Cookiepedia: Mixing Baking, and Reinventing the Classics

Copyright 2011 by Quirk Productions, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Number: 2011922698
eISBN: 978-1-59474-536-2

Design and Illustration by Sugar
Art Direction by Katie Hatz
Production management by John J. McGurk
Photographs by Tara Striano
Styling by Penelope Bouklas

Quirk Books
215 Church Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
quirkbooks.com

v3.1

On a conscious level or not, all bakers know that when their plate of cookies, their tray of chocolate croissants, or their fat slice of five-layer cake hits the table, they will be the most popular person in the room. And thats only half of the fun: Its hard to beat a cozy afternoon in the kitchen, mixing, baking, and reinventing recipes, with the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through the house.

With that in mind, I filled the pages of this book with recipes that stand to be remembered. Its for the modern home baker who may or may not know all the hows and whys of cookie chemistry just yet, but who gets a rush from learning itand a little sugar high from the mini-glory that results.

Ive always struggled with the concept of having just one career. If I had it my way, Id turn every passion into a lifetime one and give each hobby the time it deserved to flower into something larger, and longer lasting. Cooking and baking are wonderful in that way. Through simply pursuing my passion for feeding the people I love, I have been a culinary student, a restaurant cook, a magazine writer, a recipe developer, one hell of a hostess (if I may), and now a cookbook author.

As with any creative endeavorwhether its music, art, or a culinary paththey say you cant truly experiment or reinvent before first mastering the classics. This book gave me the excuse I needed to pay my bakerly dues: months of mixing, testing, and endless cookie eating (not that Im complaining), inflated gas bills that tallied quickly from 24-hour oven marathons, a permafrost of flour all over my kitchen table and floor, and sore shoulders and feet that I dutifully self-massaged on a nightly basis for the better part of a year. I wouldnt trade a moment of it for the world. First, because it seared into my memory forever the techniques of great cookie baking. And second, because it allowed me to twist and morph and tweak the old-school recipes into something easy and new, and something that is now my own. Id like to encourage you to do the same: Use this book to bake all the classic cookies our grandmothers used to make and to reinvent them and make them to suit your taste.

I took on this project in full understanding that itd be tough to improve on the top 50 classic cookie recipes. (But, pssst, we have.) Wont you join me at the oven?

Stacy

I owe this project, and so much gratitude, to the family, friends, and colleagues who have supported me along this and other culinary journeys. To my mother and father first and always: You are my rocks. Not only have you given me whatever gifts I have, but you endlessly inspire me to use them in new and wonderful ways. To my grandparents Stella, Santa, Frank, and the memory of my grandpa Louie, I am so blessed to have inherited my cooking senseand many other sensesfrom you. All my love. To my friends, especially my Brooklyn-based ones, thank you for your patience, faith, and cheerleading. We have so many more kitchen memories to make.

A heartfelt thank-you must go out to my editor Margaret McGuire an eternal optimist and fellow baker who helped foster this book every step of the way. And to the rest of the team at Quirk as well as Tara Striano, Penelope Bouklas, Jessica OBrien, and Geraldine Pierson, our wonderful all-lady photo crew. This book is just as much yours as it is mine. Many, many thanks for sharing the experience (and those final batches of cookies) with me.

Finally, to the staff at Every Day with Rachael Ray, my chef-instructors at the Institute of Culinary Education, the Savoy kitchen staff, and my dear friends Laura, Kristy, and Rich: You all had a hand in shaping me into the cook I am today. And for that, I am forever indebted.

Now that the sap is out of the way lets do what we do best.

the thing about cookies: Unlike most desserts, they actually taste even better if theyre craggy, homemade, and a little imperfectly shaped. Thats why baking cookies is so easy and fun. Its all about spending time with friends and baking together, swapping cookie recipes, and sharing plates of goodies with your neighbors. Roll up your sleeves, make a mess, and have fun!

Brownie Pan Brownies made in a glass, nonstick, or dark-colored metal tend to cook a little more quickly and have chewier edges. If you have an insulated metal pan, you may find your brownies need a few extra minutes in the oven. Use the toothpick test to determine doneness.

Cookie Cutters