I think that we are all familiar with the “bucket list” books.
You know what I’m talking about, books with titles that start with “1000 Things
to…Before You Die.” There are books on things to do, places to go, things to
see, restaurants to visit, there are similar books for nearly every state and
major city in the country. Sure, a lot of those things are doable, and many of
them are fun, but 1000? Really? Isn’t that a bit much? Here’s a book that
doesn’t overwhelm you with the numbers, features things you can do from home,
and ways to please and delight friends and family in the doing.
50 Things
to Bake Before You Die by Allyson Reedy
features 50 recipes for cakes, pies, brownies, cookies, and other sweet treats.
One recipe looks better than the other, all of them look totally doable even
for the inexperienced baker, and each recipe is well worth trying. Lest you
think Reedy to be a “morbid chick” as she puts it, with her juxtaposition of
baking and death, she wants to assure her reader that, because we’re all on a
clock, we should bake, eat, and enjoy. She further admonishes would-be bakers
to not beat themselves up if the end results don’t look picture perfect. It’s
all about the taste.
Both professionals and the author herself took the photos that appear in this
book. Notes from the creator precede each recipe. It’s important to mention, I
think, that these favorite recipes of Reedy’s are from some of the greatest
bakers and chefs, from small town cafés to fancy restaurants to TV show hosts.
In doing so, the author provides a wide range of favorites, as well as for
varied tastes and techniques.
Having purchased, given away, and re-purchased a Madeleine
pan. I chose to make the Madeleines from chef
and restaurateur Daniel Boulud. Because I am a lover of lemon, I changed his
recipe slightly by adding a little bit of lemon oil to increase the taste. They
were delicious! Next up, I tried the brown sugar peach cobbler. I am a nut for
peach cobbler, and wasn’t about to wait until July when fresh peaches became
available, so I made do with frozen; again, really delicious.
Strawberry Hand Pies, from Tracy Wilk of #BakeItForward called to me because
Wilk described herself as a pie hater. I often describe myself in the same way,
once referring to pies as “the liver of desserts.” She clarifies by saying that
she is a “bad pie hater.” I don’t need that type of clarification; I’m not a
fan in general. Still, her refreshing and honest attitude had me making these
pies (shortening the process by replacing her crust with puff pastry), and they
were fun to make and delicious as an afternoon treat. 
The book is divided into five chapters: Cookies, Cakes, Pies & Tarts,
Things You Eat with Your Hands, and Things You Probably Shouldn’t Eat with Your
Hands. It is refreshing, honest, offers up a variety of thoughts and opinions,
features desserts from all categories, some more difficult than others, and
provides the baker with some tasty goals while he or she is here on planet
earth. If it is lacking anywhere, it is in failing to provide a much-needed
index, something I have noticed lacking in many modern cookbooks. If you can live
with that, then you will certainly enjoy this book.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of 50 Things to Bake Before You Die from Ulysses Press in exchange for an honest review.
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