In the Sweet Kitchen: The Definitive Baker's Companion Review

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(More customer reviews)This fascinating volume is actually 2 distinct books in one, so I will deal with the 2 halves separately. The first part is yet another cooking encyclopedia, and the second is a conventional collection of very good recipes.
The author states correctly that there is no real source for all of the information used in baking, even if you have professional training. So, the first part of this book is a comprehensive reference work, which is both good and bad. Tools and techniques occupy almost 90 pages, and ingredients take an amazing 300 pages. On the good side, it is very complete. Some sections are ones where the author has extensive personal experience, and are exemplary, such as the ones on garnishing and fresh fruits. It also has many useful tables. On the down side, the author seems to be cribbing from standard encyclopedias and manufacturers' literature for much of this section; this is true of perhaps as much as half of this section. Plus, I have doubts about whether the author tested ALL of the combinations listed in the "Ingredient Substitution Chart" or "Flavour Pairing Chart". I also have minor quibbles with some of the information, viz: nutmeg and mace are different, but as a practical matter they are interchangeable (in fact, nutmeg is listed as a substitute for mace, but it also works the other way around); a whole Madagascar vanilla bean is worth more than 2 teaspoons-the correct amount is closer to 2 tablespoons. There is also at least one editing error: page 445 states "see page xx".
The 300 page recipe section, however, more than makes up for deficiencies in the reference section. It contains 150 recipes, of which there are very few "throw away" recipes that you will never use. Too many cookbooks have recipes that are either rehashes from other cookbooks (in which case you can actually trace the evolution of a recipe from one cookbook to another), or weird and outlandish variations of recipes that are not worth doing or simply do not work. In this case, it is a collection of both standard recipes and the author's own creations. The emphasis here is on flavor and not elegant or architectural presentations. For example, sauces and garnishes often have the same flavor as the cake or torte rather than a contrasting one; the result is flavor that is often better than the fancy desserts and sweets served at the best restaurants. The author has genuinely rethought the whole subject of baking, ingredients, and taste, and created a collection of recipes that are better than standard baking recipes. They range from traditional ones such as strawberry shortcake and macaroons, to the exotic, such as "Valrhona Molten Chocolate Cakes" and "Lychee and Coconut Milk Sorbet". The most useful chapter is the last one, "Garnishes, Sauces, and Basic Recipes"; it contains useful, all-purpose recipes. In fact, it should be the first chapter in the recipe part of the book, as many recipes elsewhere in the book depend on the ones in this last chapter.
In summary, the reference section is a mixed lot, but the recipes are of the highest caliber. It is not a book for beginners, but both home cooks and professionals will find it useful.

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