The Fearless Baker by Emily Luchetti and Lisa Weiss- A Review

When I first heard that I was going to be reviewing a cookbook titled The Fearless Baker, I have to admit it – I scoffed.  I’m not usually the “scoffing” type – mostly because I think scoffers sound like an angry rhino or some other, equally unattractive creature – but also because the idea of me, the woman who sets the smoke detector off regularly while I attempt to boil water, baking “fearlessly” really was downright…. scoff-able.  Anyone who has been following this blog for awhile knows by now that I am NOT a baker.  I won’t bore you with the details of exploding cakes and near-miss kitchen fires in my home, but I will tell you that the last time my son heard I was baking cookies he broke down into tears and begged for me to just buy some at the store instead.  So really, I’m probably not the best example of a fearless baker (and my poor family is not a great example of fearless eaters for that matter!). 

Fortunately for me (and my long-suffering family), The Fearless Baker by Emily Luchetti and Lisa Weiss really is the perfect cookbook for a non-baker like myself.  Before delving into actual recipes, I decided to ease myself into the book by reading the introduction, and I immediately began to feel better.  Luchetti and Weiss seem to have an honest and realistic grasp on the reasons why a person like myself does not bake, and they had reassuring words to soothe any worry.  So with my confidence marginally higher, and a wooden mixing spoon in hand, I opened my new cookbook to the first section – Cookies, Bars, and Bites.  Imagine my surprise when I realized that I could actually make some of those desserts!  The first section, like each subsequent section, came with a brief introduction and simple tips and tricks for the fearful baker to approach a new recipe fearlessly.  (My favorite: remember to always read through a recipe in it’s entirety before you begin any actual work – seriously guys, this tick has saved my cooking life several times over the past month).

Do you want to know the best part? The Fearless Baker taught me how to make a pie crust! Please remember, this is coming from a woman who has never even made a successful graham cracker pie crust in the past.  Luchetti’s and Weiss’s instructions calmly guided me through the entire process of cutting in the butter, rolling out my dough, and forming the perfect pie crust…. okay not really.  In truth my poor pie ended up looking like something my dog had been gnawing on for a few days, but it tasted pretty darn good, and next time I know I’ll do better!  All in all, I would recommend The Fearless Baker  to anyone who, like me, has a tough time in the kitchen but would still love to bake for their family.  More than that, The Fearless Baker would make an excellent resource for busy moms, seasoned bakers looking for some new ideas, and practically anybody new to the kitchen.  (Graduation is coming up soon right?  The Fearless Baker would make the perfect graduation present for the graduate preparing to leave home for the first time!) 

You can purchase The Fearless Baker by Emily Luchetti and Lisa Weiss in a variety of retail stores where cookbooks are sold.  To purchase the book via Amazon.com please click HERE.