The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe

Rating:
Summary: "Rather Good"!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I purchased this cookbook a couple of weeks ago, and have made the banana bran muffins (twice!), the chicken pot pie, the bacon cheddar scones, the big hair tarts. She was in Houston on November 18 at Central Market and was as charming as her book is. Suffused with humility and good old southern charm, Ms. Rather taught with anecdotes and in a manner that makes it easy to believe that you could be a pastry queen in training. I highly recommend this for cooks who like full flavor, no calories barred comfort food.

Rating:
Summary: Scrumptious!
Review: If you love food and cookbooks... you will love this book! Rebecca's recipes all look tempting and a little different then what I have seen in all of the other cookbooks I have on my shelves (and there are many). The pictures make you want to lick the page! Everything looks so appealing. I have tried 2 recipes now and the only criticism I can find is that I need to have a larger family so I can enjoy more recipes! The recipes do seem to make a lot. You can I guess always reduce the ingredients, however... I would like to have the cook's tips on how to do that. Sometimes the process can be turned upside down if you do something unknowingly. I have enjoyed flipping through the pages and planning my next Texan adventure into delicious food! Yahoo!

Rating:
Summary: Really Good Baking/Cooking from Texas Hills
Review: Texan lady makes good with her passion for baking and doing other good cooking Texas style. Such passion becomes infectious evidently from the following she has developed for your bakery and recipes.

This passion continues to ooze out in this delightful cookbook from TenSpeed Press. I've come to realize and trust that if TenSpeed published it, it will have great photos on nice layout with exceptional and exciting food.

This volume continues in that fine train. Rebecca is really into it, and continues to refine and develop new exciting recipes, some her take on old favorites such as King Ranch Casserole and Big Hair Lemon-Lime Meringue Tarts.

This over 150 recipe offering has mostly baked goods, but as her bakery began offering lunch and dinner fare, they are included here as well: Caesar Salad Pizza; All Sold-Out Chicken Pot Pies; Savory Crab and Shrimp Casserole; Nuevo Texas Waldorf Salad.

Savor the baked delights here for us: Triple Threat Chocolate Chip Cookies (three types chocolate);Chef Mark's Southern Comfort Apple Pie; Buttermilk Pecan Pie; Frangelico-Hazelnut Fruit Tart.

There is so much fun Tex-Mex-Germanfood done beautifully for us home cooks to try. The recipes don't call for wild, hard-to-find ingredients nor are any of the techniques that complicated or intimidating. Just wonderful food with clear instructions and suggestions.

Fine, worthy addition to one's collection.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fantastic Recipes Fit For a King (Queen)
Review: This book is incredible. Since it has arrived, I have made three recipes and they all have been awesome. The recipes are easy to read and understand, and are organized so that no steps are omitted. I especially appreciate notations indicating that mistakes can be made in this step and what to do if it occurs. The Triple Threat Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best I've ever made or tasted. And the Omelette Kolache recipe is worth the price of the book if you ever have to make breakfast for a buffet. Overall if you are new to pastry and want a word class book with fairly simple and uncomplicated recipes - this is it. What Rather's recipes miss from traditional pastry books that resemble art work, she makes up in wholesome goodness and taste that will make this a kitchen page turner. Great job!

Rating:
Summary: Sold Out!
Review: We have a bookstore in Boerne, Texas. Rebecca Rather kindly dropped in for a signing. We sold 65 copies in 45 minutes. People were grabbing four and five copies. This is THE holiday gift for 2004!

Rating:
Summary: Delictable Recipes from a Pastry Goddess
Review: You couldn't ask for a better compilation of time-tested and palate-pleasing recipes for all to enjoy. Rebecca's book is a wonderful sample of the warmth and goodness that accompanies all of her creations at her current bakery today. Not only are her directions clearly articulated, but the rich anecdotes that accompany many of the recipes only serve to make the process and the end result even more delicious. Such a well written book allows anyone, even those Pastry Queens in Training, to prepare these lovely dishes and pastries with a guarantee that everyone will enjoy them. Conveniently, if you find yourself wondering whether to buy this book, all you have to do is visit The Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe to try out a few pasteries of choice. You will quickly find yourself in search of this yummy collection of "royally good recipes", even if you aren't from Texas!