Maida Heatter's Book of Great American Desserts

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Description: America's First Lady of Desserts -- presiding over all that is sweet and buttery and crunchy and chocolaty -- takes us on a dessert tour of our country from sea to shining sea, from her own version of the classic Indian Pudding of Portland, Maine (made with maple syrup -- lighter than molasses), to an unforgettable Blackberry with Scotch Cheesecake from Portland, Oregon. 

Here, beautifully worked out with Maida Heatter's incomparable, foolproof clarity, are all the desserts this country is famous for, from the traditional Strawberry Shortcake, Boston Cream Pie, and Chocolate Pudding (much better than Mother used to make from a mix) to the innovative glories Americans are creating and eating today. Here is Maida Heatter's own perfect recipe for the caramel ice cream served at L.A.'s ultra-chic Spago; an elegant adaptation of the wild-rice pudding customers rave about at the Soho Charcuterie; Broiled Peppered Pears and an apricot pie made with whole fresh fruit that are the essence of nouvelle. 

Using these follow-them-exactly-and-you-can't-fail recipes, anyone can produce a vast range of dessert delicacies. There are the frontier specialties such as the grunts, cobblers, crumbles, and pandowdies. And -- equally American but more unexpected -- cakes made with fruits and vegetables, including Tomato Soup Cake, Sweet Potato Pound Cake, and Maida's own sublime Carrot Cake decorated with tiny marzipan carrots. Other surprises include an Oreo Cookie Cake, a dark chocolate cake from the Napa Valley enriched with port wine, and a remarkable sauce Maida Heatter calls simply Top Secret. And of course a Maida Heatter cookbook wouldn't be complete without brownies, and this book has ten new recipes, including a Raspberry and a Caramel Fudge Pecan Brownie. 

And much more. From Bull's Eye Cheesecake with concentric rings of dark and light batter to Cinnamon Crisp cookies in which the main ingredient is melted ice cream to the deceptively simple and remarkable Sugar-bush Mountain Peaches (baked in maple syrup -- amazing), Maida Heatter offers us all that is delicious and American from Apple Pie (of course) to Zwieback. 

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Condition: Bookboards, interior pages and dust jacket are in nice condition. Cover's bottom edge has some shelf wear. Top corner of front cover's interior flap is clipped.  Dust jacket shows some slight discoloration.