Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella February 19, 2008

Since I just did a review of a Seattle cupcake shop called Cupcake Royale, I thought today I would post one of the cupcake cookbooks I own.  I love this book although I could do without the kids cupcakes. 

There are some great things in this book.  For instance, Castella explains everything about the basic ingredients of a cupcake as well as the baking pans, how to transport your cupcakes and how to properly bake them.  The information here translates to any baking project and can ensure that you have perfect end results every time.  She also explains icings and decorating and there is even a color chart if you want to be artistic.

The recipes are wonderful too.  I’ve made the apple, banana, coffee and chocolate cupcakes.  All came out very moist and tasty.  It is very easy to become addicted to cupcakes with this book.  You’ll find yourself making them at least once a week and beinging them to every food occasion on your social calendar.

Ode to a Herring February 18, 2008

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that a book about Danish food contains many recipes for herring. What might surprise you is how many ways herring can be prepared. In this tiny book, there are 14 recipes for herring.

If you are so inclined, you can make Fillets of Pickled Herring in Green Sauce, Fried Herring, Boiled Pickled Herring, Salt Herring with Cream Cheese and Chives, Salt Herring with Mustard Sauce, Salt Herring with Onion, Smoked Herring in Marinade, Lucullus (?) Herring, Pickled Herring in Tomato Sauce, Pickled Herring Tartare, Pickled Herring with Curry Sauce, Pickled Herring with Horseradish Cream and Sherry Herring. I guess when you live in a place surrounded with water, you come up with a lot of variations on fish recipes. I am not a herring person, but for the sake of this blog I will try it once more.

They even included a picture of a lovely herring smorgasbord.

Danish Food by Grete Grumme February 18, 2008

This is the newest addition to my cookbook collection. I found it at Goodwill for $1. It was published in 1963. Some of the recipes are fairly disgusting sounding like Spiced Lard. Others are suprisingly long-lived and are still being used today.

Some recipes like the one below, wouldn’t be included in a cookbook today because there is no need to create an actual recipe.

Others are not terribly precise, like this one.

But it is a pretty charming cookbook with many interesting recipes. I’ll make one or two soon.