I have over 500 cookbooks, but I would recommend this cookbook, even for a small collection. Why? It has a couple of nice features. One is that there are very few brunch cookbooks and it is definitely top-tier in a small field. Another is the array of menus at the beginning of the book. They are seasonal, arranged through the calendar year around events that you might choose to host a brunch. The New Year's brunch features black eyed peas, and the Easter menu has ham--so you will definitely have seasonally key dishes if you follow the menus, and that is a great feature if you are not a native. The menus have the page numbers for the recipes featured, which seems obvious but is only included in about half of cookbooks. There are recipes that I do not have for two things I like to make--coffeecakes and stratas (savory bread puddings). They are both things that you can make the night before so you don't have to be up at the crack of dawn to serve a crowd at noon. The only quarrel I have with it is that there are very few photographs and more of those would have been nice.
Apple Streusel Coffee Cake (adapted from the cookbook)
1 c. Butter
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
1 c. non-fat yogurt
4 c. finely diced apple
Cream butter and sugar, add the next two ingredients with a dash of salt if using unsalted butter, blend. Add eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Add flour alternating with yogurt (end with flour). Add apples. Top with brown sugar mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger. You can add nuts too, if you like. About a cup of brown sugar should do it.
Bake in 9 x 13 pan at 350 for 40 minutes.
Wow... That is such a thoughtful review!!! Thank you. Come to Bubby's sometime! Ron Silver, Bubby's
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