review: cookie swap book

Home:  Books

Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year written by accomplished author Julia Usher (see bio below) and published by Gibbs-Smith, presents the exciting idea of having year round cookie swaps instead of relegating them only to the holidays. Ms. Usher explains her first experience with cookie swaps as a young child where she saw and devoured dainty, pink flower cookies, only to find that she got to bring a whole plate of them home, as her father so kindly informed her. From then on, she was hooked and she offers all kinds of helps to assist you in planning and pulling off successful cookie swaps any time of the year.

The author likens the cookie swap to potluck dinners, as both are very easy to host; and with cookie swaps the guests get to take home a variety of treats as an extra bonus! A section devoted to tips for baking all types of cookies successfully is included, as well as suggestions for invitations, centerpieces and more. I loved the themed container ideas for guests to carry home their treasures in.

There are ideas for eight themed parties, with lots of tips to make your party extra special for your guests. Each party could play many different roles, from birthdays to showers, depending on what your special occasion is. The book starts with Valentine’s Day, with all kinds of lovely ideas, including cupid cookies in cotton candy clouds. For Spring, there is a butterfly tree, charming Easter bonnet cookies, and even the author’s beloved pink daisies (plus much more)!

There are three themes for Summer, with some of my favorite ideas being: cute bikini and umbrella cookies, floral garden pots to bring home garden themed treats and darling “tiers of joy” mini wedding cake cookies (that my daughter says we “have” to have at her eventual wedding). School days, Halloween and Christmas get-togethers follow, with all kinds of delicious treats to share. There are many stunning decorated cookies, as well as more simple ones, all ranked in difficulty for your ease of use. Of course, you can supply your own favorites, but Cookie Swap provides excellent suggestions and is filled with hints for planning and enjoying your party. Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year makes me want to have all my parties in the future be potluck/cookie swap parties, with less work and more fun!
-Michelle

From Amazon:
From Publishers Weekly:
Starred Review. Encouraging Christmastime cookie swappers to up the ante with plans for eight themed swaps-including Valentine’s Day, bridal shower, garden party and Halloween (plus Christmas)-Usher produces a wealth of eye-catching bakery, decoration and entertainment ideas for hosts of all experience levels. Recipes are helpfully categorized by skill level, time commitment and type, allowing readers to decide quickly if they’re up for the task of Eggnog Cheesecake Streusel Bars, a one on Usher’s scale (meaning novice-appropriate), or the mini Chocolate Chai Burgers on Sesame Seed Buns, a considerably more complicated recipe that merits a three. The result is a book that bakers can come back to as their experience and confidence grows, with at least one recipe worth tackling in each theme. Usher’s suggestions for transporting cookies via vintage lunch box or Christmas ornament box, and party ideas like dish towels imprinted with vintage postcards, are easy and ingenious, sure to appeal to fans of the Barefoot Contessa and Martha Stewart (no surprise from the designer dessert maker whose work has appeared in Chocolatier, Better Homes and Gardens, Bon Appetit and Modern Bride).

About the Author:
Former owner of the boutique bakery AzucArte, Julia made her first mark on the food world in 1997 as a wedding cake decorator and pastry chef. Her desserts have since appeared at the James Beard House and in the pages of Vera Wang on Weddings, Pastry Art & Design, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, Brides, and Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, among others.

She now pours her passion for sweets into food writing and styling for a number of local, regional, and national magazines. She is Contributing Editor at Dessert Professional (formerly Chocolatier) and a 2008 James Beard-nominee for her monthly column Prep School in St. Louis-based Sauce magazine. In recent years, her work has appeared in Bon Appetit, Fine Cooking, Better Homes and Gardens, Yankee, Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion, Gastronomica, The Herb Companion, and St. Louis At Home. She recently completed her first book entitled, Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year (Gibbs Smith, August 2009).

Julia graduated valedictorian from The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in 1996. She also holds degrees in mechanical engineering from Yale and U.C Berkeley, and an MBA from Stanford. In addition to serving on the Board of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, she is a three-time President and two-time Program Chair of the St. Louis Culinary Society, and a founding member of the St. Louis chapter of Les Dames d’ Escoffier International. Prior to beginning her career in food, Julia worked as nuclear reactor systems engineer for General Electric, as a management consultant for Bain & Company, and in marketing research for industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to industrial design.

you might also like...

1. 
   review: ultimate cookies
2. 
   review: cookie craft
3. 
   review: cookie cakes
4. 
   review: cake pops book
5. 
   wedding cookie cake