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News December 12, 2008
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Just a reminder that cookbooks are the ultimate in re-usable items. In fact they can be passed down generations! An affordable alternative to high ticket gifts. Bringing people together over a meal and allowing for much needed distractions from the constant barrage of unwelcome events.
Autographed books
We still have autographed copies from previous events, as well as when authors drop by. Check with us to what we have in stock. Signed books make wonderful gifts.
We have been delighted to welcome many authors to the store this season and we have a selection of their books signed, while they last. If you can't make it in to the store but would like one set aside, or mailed out, please call to reserve. Below is the list of authors and their books.
Anna Olson In the Kitchen with Anna
Anita Stewart Anita Stewart's Canada
Anthony Sedlak The Main
Bonnie Stern Friday Night Dinners
David Rocco David Rocco's Dolce Vita
Elizabeth Baird The Canadian Living Complete Baking Book
Jacques Pepin Fast Food My Way, More Fast Food My Way
Jennifer McLagan Fat
Lisa Slater The Brownie Lover's Bible
Lucy Waverman Lucy's Kitchen, Dinner Tonight, Home for Dinner
Marcella Hazan Amarcord
Shari Darling Orgasmic Appetizers and Matching Wines
Sheila Lukins Ten: All the Foods We Love
Tana Ramsay Home Made, Real Family Food
Gift suggestions under $20
Recipe Card Holder Set $10
Recipe Binders & Boxes to put your recipe cards in $17.95
Bottle Stoppers in a variety of shapes and colours $19.99
Billy's Best Bottles 2009 $19.95
500 Best Value Wines at the LCBO 2009 $19.95
Hugh Johnson's Pocket Guide to Wines 2009 $15.95
Best Food Writing of 2008 $17
Classic French Cooking $16.99
Classic Italian Cooking $16.99
Classic Spanish Cooking $16.99
For the Love of Soup $19.95
How to be a Better Foodie $10
Hello, Cupcake $17.95
Help! My Apartment has a Kitchen $17.95
Muffin Mania $16.95
M is For Moose: A Charles Pachter Alphabet $20 (B is for butter tart)
Wine Lover's Calendar Page-a-Day 2009 $13.99
Booknote Bookmarks (12) $8.95
Recipe: Eggnog Pound Cake with Crystal Rum Glaze
From Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker
This inviting holiday cake is the next best thing to eggnog in a cup. The dense yet tender cake showcases the incomparable flavor of eggnog, while rum, nutmeg, and currants add a complementary dimension. Bake it in your favorite patterned Bundt pan, and brush the warm cake with rum glaze. As the cake cools, the crystallized topping clings attractively to the crevices, creating a special effect.
Yield: One 10 inch tube cake, 20 servings (3 thin slices per serving)
Scant 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) dried currants
2 tablespoons dark rum or water
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup store bought refrigerated eggnog
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Crystal Rum Glaze
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons water
Before baking: In a small bowl, combine the currants and rum and set aside to macerate for 15 minutes. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 degrees F if the pan has a dark finish). Butter a 10 by 23 inch Bundt pan, lightly coat it with nonstick spray, then flour it, tapping out the excess flour. Or, butter and flour a 10 by 4 14 inch tube pan with or without a removable bottom. Have all of the ingredients at room temperature.
To make the cake: Sift together the four, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg, onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low speed until creamy and smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sugar in a steady stream and continue to beat on a medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer still on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated and stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. On the lowest speed, add the flour mixture in four additions alternately with the eggnog in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing after each addition until incorporated. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla during the final moments of mixing. Detach the paddle and bowl from the mixer, and tap the paddle against the side of the bowl to fee the excess batter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the currants and any remaining rum. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with the spatula.
Bake the cake just until the top springs back when lightly touched in the center and the sides are beginning to come away from the pan, 55 to 65 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes while you prepare the glaze.
To make the Crystal Rum Glaze: In a small bowl, combine the sugar, rum, and water and stir with a rubber spatula just until blended.
Without delay, tilt and rotate the cake pan while gently tapping it on a counter to release the cake sides. Invert a wire rack on top of the cake, invert the cake onto it, and carefully lift off the pan. Slide a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drippings from the glaze. Using a pastry brush, coat the top and sides of the warm cake with all of the glaze. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
To serve, slide the base of a tart pan, a small rimless baking sheet, or a large offset spatula under the cake and carefully transfer it to a serving platter. Cut the cake into thin slices with a sharp or serrated knife.
 Baking for All Occasions
Flo Braker
One of our favourite baking writers, remember Simple Art of Perfect Baking? Braker imparts knowledge in a gentle manner, never preaching. With chapters such as Hearth and Home All Day Long, or Baking for a Rainy Day and recipes such as Red Velvet Cake Roll, or Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake what's not to love! Hardcover, 396 pp. $45.50.
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